The Silent Type
by ehnera
Summary: Ivy is quick to observe and finds plenty to look at in the Host Club, but her attention soon focuses on the quiet, deliberate Takashi Morinozuka. Mori X OFC
1. Chapter 1

The Silent Type

_Chapter 1_

It was an unusually sunny day when I first wandered the halls of Ouran Academy. I resisted the urge to reach out and feel the etchings on the elegant vases that lined each wall or run my fingertips against the brushstrokes on the dramatic walls-size paintings. I settled with peering closely at the detail of it all, the way the threads were woven in the tapestries or the pastel colors cast across the rosy corridor in the morning sunlight. It was all so grand—different than any school I had attended in America.

Also cast in pastels and luxury was the chatter I heard while passing groups of gushing schoolgirls and towering male counterparts. Everyone spoke of grand balls and lacy dresses, galas and fancy tuna. I had attended some higher class schools but this academy was by far the most privileged.

"The playground of the young and wealthy," I murmured to myself as I wove in between the throngs of students gathering before classes. I hadn't even had time to come visit Ouran before enrolling and flying out for the start of the new semester, but it was just what I had expected from the stunning pictures on the web—thought those didn't quite do the colors justice.

"Miss Edwards!"

I turned to see a girl my age with a folder under her arm beckoning for me to follow.

"Hello, I'm Risu. The admissions chairwoman wishes to speak with you."

"Oh?" I asked, glancing at a stunning portrait on the opposite wall before following after Risu.

"Yes. You'll miss a while from your first class, but don't worry. Not much happens on the first day."

We entered the office and I couldn't help but stare up at the vaulted ceiling before taking a seat in front of the chairwoman's desk.

"Thank you, Risu," she said, sending her away. "So you're…Ivy Edwards, yes?"

I nodded.

"What an unusual name! It says here in your file that you're originally from India…?"

I nodded. "Technically, miss. My parents are American, but I was born in India. My father's job means we've all traveled a lot. But I most recently lived in New York, USA."

"As I can see from your academic records. Your plans of enrollment at Ouran were submitted very last minute—it's a shame you couldn't try out for the honors scholarship."

"Perfectly alright," I said. "I apologize. My father was assigned to a job in very rural part of Ukraine and decided it would be best for me to not come along, since he and my mother may stay there indefinitely."

The Chairwoman nodded. "That makes sense. It says here that you are attending under the patronage of your aunt?"

"My aunt lives in a different part of Japan, but she's paid my tuition and enough for temporary housing until I find something more permanent." I was currently staying a nearby motel—and even for a motel it was posh.

"I see. There are many apartments in the surrounding area that are reputable enough. And you may be able to house with another student if you wish. Many of them will have sufficient space for guest arrangements," said the Chairwoman.

"I'm sure," I agreed, thinking of the elegant chatter I heard earlier. "Something will work itself out. I'm very versatile." I smiled, hoping it came across as reassuring rather than bigheaded.

"As I'm sure you will. I see that you have already acquired your uniform dress and shoes, very good."

"I have," I replied, smoothing the pale yellow dress against my lap and clacking together the Mary Janes under my chair. Perhaps a bit much, but they fit the school ambiance. And they went along nicely with the slim blue blazers and ties all the boys wore.

"I appreciate you selecting your classes prior to today. Since your most recent enrollment was in the United States, we're placing you in the equivalent grade as a first year. Though due to your…exotic educational background we may be able to compromise on a few honors classes later on." The Chairwoman pushed her glasses up as she ascended from reading my file. "Welcome to Ouran, Ivy. You may go."

Risu led me to each of my classes the first day, where I found myself grateful that languages come easily to me. Even after spending some time in Japan and some time studying the language, the inflections of the upper class were vibrant and new. And of course, quite the contrast from my school's language classes in New York. But alas, I still found myself absentmindedly doodling about the margins of my papers and observing the students in each class rather than keeping focus on the first day lessons. I mused at the way girls would adjust bows in their hair while staring out a window, and how tall boys would awkwardly shuffle their feet under the desk in attempt to find comfort.

I grinned. What I had discovered in travel was that there was nothing more interesting than a room full of new people. Let alone the entire academy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Within the next few days I found myself attempting to discover the social order at Ouran. While there were obviously loners and distinct cliques, I was most amused by the tendency of Ouran girls to outright fawn over select handsome boys with outright enthusiasm. Though I still sat by myself during lunches, I was often near surrounding groups and caught snips of the chatter.

"Did you see Hunny run past with that pink bunny today? He is the most _precious_ thing I have ever seen, I just want to eat him up like a slice of strawberry cake!"

"The twins were sharing instant coffee today; they are _so_ adorable together I just can't handle it!"

"Those two are literally inseparable!"

"Kyoya and I made eye contact, and then he wrote something down on that clipboard of his…my goodness, what if he was writing about me?"

Despite the size of the school, there were certainly names that dominated the infatuated female chatter of Ouran girls, though I had yet to see them with my own eyes. As I sat in world history, I found myself scribbling their names in my notebook, with a few things I had heard of each of them from neighboring gossip.

_Kyoya ~ glasses, clipboard, unreadable? "cool" apparently._

_Hunny ~ bunny, cake, adorable. Sounds like a 5 year old…something Lolita?_

_Tamaki ~ romantic, gorgeous, dreamy…he comes up a lot._

_Twins ~ Ka-something and Hika-something? Always together. Intimate?_

_Haruhi ~ cute, boyish, charming. Nobody has ever seen him shirtless…_(trivial thought that seemed, it came up at an alarming rate in conversation)

_Mori ~ silent, tall, handsome, quiet. Comes up a lot with Hunny talk. Hunny and Mori, Mori and Hunny._

To complete the list, I drew a tiny symbol next to each name. Kyoya, a tiny pair of glasses. Hunny, a little bunny I colored in with pink colored pencil. Tamaki, a red rose. The twins, 2 tiny stick people holding hands. Haruhi, a little T shirt. Mori, I really had no idea. I left a question mark next to his name, which seemed to cover the mystery.

Sure, other names came up every once in a while, but these ones were on the tongues of what seemed like every girl in my year. I soon became determined to spot them and find out what all the fuss was about. Sure, girls stewed over boys in other schools I had gone to, but this was a whole new level.

Finally, a new phrase gave me a clue. Before the start of world history, I heard a group of girls discussing something called a "host club."

"Oh, by far Tamaki-senpai is my favorite! He is so breathtakingly dreamy. When he puts his face close to mine it takes every ounce of my self control not to kiss him!"

"He makes a wonderful leader of the host club, keeping that group together. But Kyoya-senpai is always the one writing things down…what's up with that?"

"Some people say he's the real brains behind the club's inner workings. Tamaki just seems too dramatic to handle it all."

"Huh, I said softly. I quickly scribbled "host club" on my hand so I'd remember to ask about it later. I had heard the phrase before; it was something uniquely Japanese…some sort of escort service, perhaps?

The bell tolled breaking my train of thought. The professor led in a pair of seemingly indifferent orange-haired boys.

"Class, this is Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin. They're transferring into world history 2 weeks late. If someone could please bring them up to speed on the work we have covered?"

There was an instant buzz from the girls in the class, with several eager hands raised. The professor gazed around the students and stopped on me. "Ah, Ivy. With your already _extensive_ knowledge and clearly superior _listening skills_, bringing these two up to speed should be no trouble!" The professor's eyes narrowed.

_Oh, shoot,_ I thought. _This guy already thinks I don't pay attention because I doodle._

The radiation of a thousand feminine scowls burned into me as these words left the professor's mouth. Feeling my face flush, I stuttered, "Y-yes, sensei. No trouble."

I heard voices quietly giggling behind me. _'Y-Yes, sensei!' How is she gonna teach them if she can't even speak the language?_

Trying to distract myself from the whispers, I focused on studying the boys that had been entrusted in my academic care. It was evident that they were twins, practically ethereal in exact image. Everything from the way they stood to the disdain with which they looked out on the class was completely mirrored. I glanced at my notebook with the list on my desk. Could these be the twins everyone talked about?

The two strode over to the desks that had been cleared beside me, taking a seat with a cohesive thump. Upon closer inspection I was even more fascinated—not only was their _faces _devoid from any difference, but the face they shared was extremely attractive. I found myself struggling to name the color of their eyes. Golden? Bronze? Topaz?

The twins finally directed their attention my way. I quickly covered my notebook with my arm.

Before I could say anything, the two cocked their heads to the side and spoke in perfect unison. "You're new here."

"I am," I agreed, finding myself struggling for words. "Hi. I'm Ivy."

"What kind of a name is that?" asked a twin. "Where are you from?" chimed in the other.

"A-America," I replied. "And what kind…an unusual name, I suppose? I…get that a lot."

"Hmph," they grunted in unison, leaning in to take a closer look at me while keeping cool, demure expressions with a hint of a smirk. The closeness of their perfect faces was almost disorienting.

I gulped, but tried to keep my gaze steady. I was aware of other eyes around us. What does one say in response to "hmph"?

"Huh," grunted one of them. "She's almost immune to our powers. Doesn't even swoon."

What was that supposed to mean?

"Well, we _are _in class," replied the other. "We should invite her to the host club."

My eyes widened.

"We'll see," said one, finally breaking his cool gaze with a grin that spread across his face and somehow complimented his blazing hair.

The other twin grinned simultaneously. "We don't know if she's cool enough yet."

The professors voice rang out. "Now, now, boys, quiet. Ivy may help you with catching up _outside_ of class." He turned to me. "And if they perform poorly on the first exam, Ivy, I will find some way to hold you responsible."

The twins retracted, both leaning back in their seats and putting their arms behind their head. "Whatever," they retorted.

For some reason I found myself shaking slightly and even more flushed than before.

At the end of class, I heard the twins snickering as they walked out. "It's like she's never seen a handsome guy before in her life!" said one. I felt like my face had reached tomato status.

Fighting every urge to run away and stick my head in a pond, I ran up behind them. "Hey!"

The two turned to rest leaning on each other's shoulders. "Hey, America," they chimed.

I took a breath before speaking, trying to collect my nerves. "So…would you guys like some help in class? And where can we meet? I'm pretty much free from—"

"Nah," said the twins before I could finish.

"W-what?" I stammered, looking back and forth between the two. "But the professor said if you do poorly it'll affect my grade—"

"Grades don't matter for us," offered a twin.

"They can't kick us out, even if we failed," said the other. "Besides, we've got Haruhi too. And she's wicked smart."

"But—" I began. "I can't afford to fail. My aunt will kick me out; she's paying for my tuition…"

"Hmm, an interesting situation, Hikaru?" purred Kaoru.

"Yes, indeed," Hikaru replied. "I think we can work something out."

I somehow ended up walking between the two, their hands on my shoulders.

"Here's what we're thinking," the twins chimed, eyes sparkling.

"But how do you know what each other is—" I started.

"You come work for the host club, and in return we'll actually try on that stupid history exam," declared Hikaru.

"It's simple and easy," added Kaoru. "And you won't be required to teach us anything, we'll just pay attention in class for once."

"Best plan ever!" they sang in unison, each grabbing one of my hands. "Tomorrow, music room #3. Take care America!"

Later during lunch, I edited my list.

_The Twins ~ Kaoru and Hikaru. Orange hair, topaz eyes. They may be controlled by the same brain._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day, I took my place in music room #1 with my cello and bow. The case was covered in stickers from different countries I had visited, and it stuck out like a sore thumb among the padded, shining leather cases of the other classmates. After the 8 piece dinky orchestra back in New York, the glittering 70 piece symphony was an overwhelming but exciting change.

Luckily, the cellist who sat next to me was friendly and happy to offer help on the social workings of Ouran.

"So Hana," I offered, showing her the list of names I had copied onto my hand. "What's the deal with these guys?"

Hana examined my palm. "Huh. These are all members of the host club."

"I met the twins yesterday," I told her. "We ended up striking a deal actually."

"Oh? Be careful. Those guys can be trouble," said Hana.

"Seems like it. They said I have to work for the host club, and in exchange they're going to do well in world history so I don't get my own grade docked. Sensei put me in charge of them," I explained.

"Why does it matter? Aren't you here on tuition?" asked Hana.

"If I fail any of my classes my aunt will take away my funding."

Hana shot me a sympathetic glance. "Oh god, that's right. Stupid world history. At least you'll get to see the inner workings of the host club. Most don't."

"What is it like?" I asked, picking up my cello and bow as the director took the podium.

"You'll see," said Hana. "It's very…unique."

And we were off. I scanned each page of music, desperately trying to keep up with the more advanced pieces we had been assigned. Even still I wondered what this afternoon would be like, causing me to stumble over a few notes. I didn't know what to expect from this "host club" and it was leading my mind to endless possibilities.

A while into the class, a tall, handsome blonde student entered the music room.

"That's Tamaki-senpai," Hana whispered. "He plays piano with the symphony sometimes."

The room was promptly impregnated with the female buzz surrounding this Tamaki. Even from afar his posture oozed of self-importance and dramatic flourishes. As he took a seat at the grand piano he flashed a winning grin to the string section, causing collective squeals and gasps. As a final touch, he placed a single red rose on the music stand of the piano.

I raised my eyebrows. This guy had _game._ And he turned out to be surprisingly talented. I could see how many would fall under his spell, and it took a great deal of self-control to not to succumb to it myself. I ended up missing quite a few more notes if I even glanced up at him. He would have done well in the New York Theater District.

I hoped to get a closer look at this blonde haired knight before the end of symphony, but he walked out surrounded by throngs of girls trilling away like sparrows.

"Good luck after school," Hana called before following out the door.

I nodded nervously. After locking up my cello, I finally grabbed my bag and left, last in the class. Due to my bad habit of looking all places but straight ahead of me, I rounded the corner too fast while staring at a sculpture outside the music room.

I ran straight into another guy…a very, very tall dark haired one. I felt a hand on my shoulder steadying me and I jumped back in embarrassment, my face turning hot.

I had to crane my neck to meet his eye. "I am SO sorry," I offered, trying to smile. "That was totally my fault."

He said nothing, nodding slightly. The corner of his mouth twitched a little, far too little to even be a grin.

A small boy with a head full of sunny blonde hair popped over his shoulder, perching himself there with a giggle. "Watch where you're going, silly!" he teased cheerfully. "Taka-chan might have to beat you up!"

I relaxed with the merriment of the little boy's grin. I felt my face cool down slightly and I smirked in return.

"Right, Taka-chan?" prodded the boy, tugging the collar of his giant companion's shirt.

"Yeah," the giant replied, almost absentmindedly. His eyes studied my face for a second before he took the boy off his shoulder. "Come on, Mitsukuni."

With a final glance and nod he continued past me, the boy trailing behind with an adorable whine.

"Awwwww, Taka-chan! I wanted to talk to that girl!"

I watched them disappear down the hall, amazed at the sheer height difference between the two. I only now noticed the boy was wearing a high school uniform, and wondered if he was maybe a prodigy of some sort. And the other guy looked a bit older, perhaps a second or third year. An interesting duo.

What stuck the most in my mind's eye was the image of the tall guy's cryptic expression, not betraying any trace of reaction or emotion. I found myself wondering if there _was_ an emotion to betray, or if the simplicity of the nod and glance was all there was to it.

Reaching into my bag, I looked again at my list. Could Taka-chan and Mitsukuni be Mori and Hunny? They seemed attractive—and in the little boy's case, cute—enough to be the talk of the academy.

I put tiny checks next to their names along with the twins and Tamaki, leaving Kyoya and Haruhi blank.

"Only one class left," I said softly. "And two more hosts."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The final bell rang in biology and I wove my way through the throngs of students scrabbling to escape class. As I made my way towards the music wing, I found myself herded into a current of other girls—a loud, chortling crowd. Nearing music room #3, the enamored chatter increased. Again the voices lent themselves to the host club names, aiding to each with great praise and anticipation.

After being politely bumped and shoved enough times during this eager migration, I ducked into music room #1 to get some air and allow the rest of the girls to stampede onward. I had been fine before but now a sort of giddy zeal was rising in my chest. Perhaps it was just prolonged exposure to the stampede.

I took some deep breaths before leaving the empty music room. "Don't get flustered, Ivy," I muttered, then staring at the ornate door handles of music room #3. "Just keep your cool."

I pushed my hair back, straightened my dress, and pushed opened the doors.

A few rose petals drifted out, brushing against my cheek and landing on my shoulders. Bewildered, I brushed them off and looked up for the source, only to be overwhelmed by the brilliant light coming from the open windows. I blinked rapidly, my gaze finally settling in front of me.

The room was spacious, polished from wall to floor to the point of glittering. Tables and couches were interspersed throughout the room, peppered with girls and tea. Every few seconds or so a chorus of squeals would ring out in one group or another.

Since nobody was close by that I could ask about my job, I shuffled in place and scanned the room anxiously for the boys. Surrounded by throngs of starry-eyed women reclined Tamaki, who was proclaiming his love to the collective with a great flair of the arms. The tall guy and blonde haired little boy were confirmed to be Mori and Hunny, who sat together with a small group of girls in the back, most of them surrounding Hunny and cooing excitedly. A shorter, brown-haired boy made pleasant conversation with several guests at a tea table, while another with shining glasses leaned against a pillar and scribbled into a clipboard.

"That must be Haruhi and Kyoya," I whispered to myself. "But then, where are—"

I felt two hands on my shoulders. "AMERICA!" the twins yelled in chorus. I tried to conceal a yelp of surprise and spun around. Kaoru and Hikaru stared down at me, far too pleased with themselves.

"That's not my name," I protested, perhaps a bit too loudly. I was still running off adrenaline from the jump.

The two flipped their hair in unison, gracefully ignoring my comment. "So America, you show up late on your very first day?" purred one twin. "Is this what they have taught you overseas?"

"Perhaps you want to go back on our deal?" asked the other. The two crossed their arms accusingly.

"Of course not!" I retorted. "You still need to do well on that exam so sensei doesn't flunk me on mine."

"Very well, very well," they chimed. "Though it doesn't pay to worry so much about school, America," one chastised, shaking his head mockingly. "It won't get you anywhere."

"Ah, so this is our new help, boys?" Kyoya had strolled over from his pillar, only pausing to push his glasses up his nose before returning to taking notes. "I'm Kyoya Ootori, vice president of the host club."

"I'm Ivy Edwards, pleased to meet you," I replied, bowing slightly. "Thank you for accommodating me here."

"Don't thank me, this is all under the twin's design," Kyoya corrected. "You are new here, yes? Transferred from New York?"

I cocked my head, caught off guard by his correct assumption. Before I could answer, another voice butted in.

"A sweet princess from the New York boroughs, how metropolitan!" a voice crooned. I turned just in time for a golden-haired blur to whisk me into an embrace. I found my face inches away from Tamaki, his alarmingly violet eyes sparkling. "And what brings you here, my angel?"

"H-huh?" I stuttered, incapable of further words or an explanation for how I had somehow been compromised. "Um…"

I could hear the twins cackling as Tamaki gently returned me to standing. "It's the funniest thing!" one chortled. "She just shuts down!"

"Daaaaazed and confused," they sang together, rolling on the floor.

"How do you two ruffians know this girl?!" Tamaki demanded.

They froze mid-roll. "She's our year, boss," one offered. "We struck a deal with her."

"WHAT DID YOU ENSLAVE THIS POOR ANGEL INTO DOING, YOU LITTLE HOOLIGANS?" Tamaki shrieked.

"Relax, she's working for us," said the other. "In exchange we'll actually _try_ on the world history exam so sensei doesn't flunk her."

"HOW IS THAT EVEN FAIR?" Tamaki cried. "IT'S ONLY ONE TEST SO HOW COULD SHE FLUNK THE WHOLE CLASS?"

I tugged Tamaki's sleeve. "In world history the only exam is the final one. If I fail that I flunk the whole class."

"And we'd DEFINITELY fail that," added the twins cheerfully.

"So she has to work here the entire term just so you guys won't screw her over?" asked a new voice. I turned to see the smaller dark haired boy, Haruhi, standing besides Kyoya, with Mori and Hunny behind her.

"A deal is a deal," the twins sang, leaning on each other and chuckling.

"How DARE you!" squealed Tamaki.

"I don't know if that's _quite_ fair," sighed Haruhi. As the twins and Tamaki continued to squawk in the background, she turned her attention towards me and smiled. "Hi, I'm Haruhi Fujioka, nice to meet you. You're in my grade and I'm sorry I haven't seen you before!"

I bowed and returned the smile. "I'm Ivy Edwards, nice to meet you Haruhi. And it's quite alright! We mustn't have any classes together."

"And Ivy-kun, this is Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Takashi Morinozuka, our two other hosts in the club," added Kyoya.

I waved hello, catching eyes with Mori. He raised his eyebrows in recognition but simply rumbled, "Nice to meet you."

Hunny leaped forward. "Heeeeyyy Taka-chan, this is the girl who ran into you earlier!" he declared, tugging my hand.

"Yeah," agreed Mori, looking at me. I looked down, embarrassed again.

"Nice to meet you, Ivy-chan! You can call me Hunny, everyone does," Hunny chuckled. "It sounds a lot cuter, right?"

Before I could answer the boy whisked out a pink rabbit and held it up to my face. "And you can call him Usa-chan!"

Once again I caught his infectious grin. "Hello, Usa-chan," I said. I shook the bunny's paw, which caused Hunny to jump around the room singing, "She shook his paw! She shook his paw!"

"Mitsukuni, that's enough," said Mori, his eyes still resting on me.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The work the twins set me up for turned out to be fairly simple. I basically wheeled around the carts of cake, tea, and other refreshments to each host group and gave them the goods they requested, cleaning up whenever something was spilled or broken. It was actually quite nice—I was able to observe the day to day workings of the group without being the subject of too much attention or a wallflower in the background.

After a few days, the twins presented me with something new. I had gotten in the habit of bolting towards the door at the end of my last class and booking it to music room #3 in order to make it there before the rush. As I slipped into the room and started to busy myself arranging each cake by color on today's carts, the two grabbed my shoulders and led me to a curtained area that had spontaneously appeared in the corner of the room.

"Afternoon, guys," I sighed, surrendering myself to their guiding arms.

"We've got a present for you, Ivy-san!" they declared, whipping out an outfit on a brassy hanger.

"One of our mother's designers made this for you," said Kaoru. "We figured you should look different compared to the rest of the girls who are guests."

"And plus it's completely adorable," added Hikaru.

"Try it on, try it on, try it on!" they sang, tossing the hanger to me. I caught it frantically, examining the clothes.

"Alright, I guess," I shrugged. "You're the boss…bosses."

The two continue to stand there, and I paused awkwardly. "…aren't you going to leave?" I asked nervously. "There's a curtain here for a reason…"

"Ooooonly if you asked us to!" They declared. "The curtain was more to hide us from everyone else—"

I blushed, smacking them both on the arm. "Go on now, get out!" The two bounded away cackling.

The outfit fit nicely, and as I examined it in the makeshift mirror that had been tacked up against the wall, I wondered how the boys even had my measurements to make something for me. I was impressed. They had basically created a feminine version of the boy's uniform—a slightly more fitted light blue blazer had been stiched with the Ouran crest, sporting a white blouse underneath. Instead of slacks I slipped on a pleated black skirt, with white stockings and black Mary-Janes.

"Good compromise," I agreed. "I won't look like a guest but at least I won't look like a dude."

"Are you ready yet?" the twins whined. "The guests are arriving!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I yelled back, stashing my dress in the corner.

As I came out from behind the curtain, I heard the twins address the hosts. "Hey boss, guys, look what we got for Ivy-san!"

For a moment the group stood in silence, and Hunny was naturally the first to break it. "Wow, you look cute, Ivy-chan!" he laughed, running forwards and attack-hugging me.

"Thanks, Hunny-senpai," I replied, cheerfully prying him from my waist. "You always look cute!"

"Yeah, I know!" Hunny giggled, skipping off to join his group of guests. I turned to Mori, who nodded curtly in approval and followed after Hunny.

"Very nice, boys," commented Kyoya, making a note on his clipboard. "Employee uniforms. Should have thought of that myself."

"I agree," said Haruhi, smiling. "You look really nice, Ivy-san! Wouldn't you agree, Tamaki-senpai?"

"STOP CALLING ME SENPAI, HARUHI!" whined Tamaki. He turned to me and beamed. "And of course you do, my darling. Your blonde hair really glows against that blue blazer. It's a vision to behold!"

I was overwhelmed. "Thank you, Haruhi-san and Tamaki-senpai. I'm glad it looks alright." It had been a while since I had received so many compliments. And though Tamaki's were dripping with ardor, I could tell that every word was sincere. _He really finds every girl beautiful_, I thought, watching as the golden-haired prince leaped away to grandly welcome his guests for the day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After finishing arranging the cakes on a cart with the tea, I started my rounds wheeling around to each host and offering the girls sweets. Most of the girls were cordial concerning my employment with the host club at this point, but others still sent me poisonous looks as I walked by, which I had been advised to ignore by the twins.

I caught snippets of conversation at each table, but usually ended up spending most of my time being called over Hunny and Mori, due to Hunny's intense and terrifying love for all cakes and sweets. Today was no different, except there were no leftover cakes in the pantry until more were shipped in tomorrow. Halfway through the afternoon, we were already down to 2 cakes thanks to Hunny's steady demand.

As I made my rounds for the third time by Hunny's table, I assessed the remainder of cakes and asked, "Hunny-senpai, Mori-senpai, guests, would any of you like another cake?"

The girls, who had all been already persuaded by Hunny to at least have one, shook their heads politely in a chorus of sweet No Thank You's and I'm Full's.

"Of course I'll have one!" Hunny declared. "Thanks so much, Ivy-chan! I was just getting hungry!"

"I'll have one too," added Mori. I was still fascinated by the depth of his voice. He didn't usually eat cake, either…

I reached down to the second shelf where the 2 remaining strawberry cakes awaited their fate. "Here you go!" I said, handing one to each of them.

"Ivy-chan, do you like cake?" asked Hunny, taking a bite.

"I do, Hunny-senpai," I replied, nodding.

"Have you had a cake today?" Hunny furthered. I look at his plate where he had somehow managed to already devour his entire cake. _When did he have time to eat the rest in those 2 seconds I was talking?_ I wondered.

"Uh…no, I have not," I confessed. "I haven't had cake in a while, to be honest."

"Well you can have mine if you want!...oh, wait…" Hunny looked down at his plate, where he seemed to only now realize the disappearance of his cake. "I guess I ate it already…"

"Here, you can have mine," Mori offered. He reached the plate back up to me, where I took it, flustered. I heard a couple of girls gasp quietly.

"Oh! Uh, thank you, Mori-senpai," I said, my face flushing. "You didn't have to do that."

Mori shrugged. "It's yours."

"That was nice of you, Taka-chan!" sang Hunny.

"It was," I agreed. "I guess I can eat it at the end of work—"

"No no no! Sit down and eat with us, Ivy-chan!" Hunny demanded. "The day is almost over anyway!" Before I could protest, he grabbed my hand and sat me down on the couch between him and Mori, a spot that had previously been unoccupied.

"Ok…" I said quietly, trying not to make eye contact with the girls sitting across from me who I assumed were making death glares. "Thanks, Hunny-senpai."

"Well, go ahead and try the cake!" cried Hunny.

I took the tiny fork off the edge of the plate and took a bite.

"Good?" asked Mori. I jumped slightly, somehow still startled by the sight of him next to me. A couple of girls giggled.

"Mmm, very sweet," I said, nodding in spite of my terror. His eye contact itself was causing me to blush even more, the way it remained so deliberately.

"Good," replied Mori, finally turning away and facing the other girls. Their giggles stifled.

The rest of the conversation was dominated by Hunny, who was clearly the ringleader of their two person circus—if Hunny was the ringleader, Mori was the ring. To my relief, the girls completely focused their attention on him, save a few nervous glances at me or Mori.

I witnessed firsthand the miracle of Hunny's perfect cuteness, and wondered how a boy his age (apparently the same as Mori) ended up with cake and bunnies as his defining passions. However, I did find myself chuckling or uttering a restrained "aw" as he worked his magic.

Initially I thought to ask Mori a bit more about him or his companion, but found my tongue firmly declining to do its job whenever this urge arose. After a while, and far after my cake had been enjoyed, I settled into a comfortable silence next to Mori as we both observed Hunny, and the need to make conversation eventually disappeared completely. There seemed to be a mutual satisfaction in this, and after a while, I swear I saw Mori's shoulders relax slightly in my peripheral vision.

_Maybe for him, silence isn't an absence of conversation,_ I mused to myself. _Silence _is_ the conversation._

"Hm," I murmured softly, enjoying the thought.

Mori turned his head to look at me, as if he expected me to say something.

Instead, I returned his gaze with a warm smile and said nothing, heart pounding. I had no idea what I was doing.

To my surprise, he smiled back gently, the corners of his mouth raised just enough to be a grin. The effect, even if microscopic in size, sent a shiver down my back; I looked down abruptly. I could still see him out of the corner of my eye, regarding me for a second before turning back to Hunny and the girls.

As the afternoon came to an end and the guests were dismissed, Hunny was sure to give me a giant hug before hopping on Mori's shoulders as he headed for the door, leaving early for some reason.

"Ivy-chan should eat cake with us every day, don't you think?" Hunny asked.

"Yeah," said Mori shortly, not breaking his gait or turning to look back. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I was just gathering my things to leave after Mori and Hunny when I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Ohhhhhh Americaaaaaaaa," sang the twins. I turned away from the door to see them regarding me mischievously.

"Did we say your job included EATING cake?" demanded Kaoru.

"Um," I said nervously. "Well Hunny told me to sit down, and then I didn't really have anything else to serve—"

"Oh, give it a break, America," said Hikaru, shaking his head. "We were only kidding. We don't really mind…"

"…As long as you don't mind us teasing you about it whenever we like!" finished Kaoru.

"Tease me about what, exactly?" I asked, immediately regretting it. I thought again of Mori's smile.

"The cake, duh!" said the twins.

"Oh, right," I said, chuckling nervously.

"…Wait. Did you think we were talking about something else?" asked Hikaru, eyebrows raised.

"IS there something else?" they both demanded. The two had somehow pinned me to a wall, which was unnerving because I had been standing in the middle of the room and definitely didn't remember backing up…

"No! Nothing!" I squealed! "That's what I meant, the cake! Get off of me, you guys!"

"Unhand poor Ivy-san, you ruthless bums!" I heard Tamaki cry.

The next thing I knew I was being whisked away again, somehow being carried. I looked up and saw the gilded ceilings and Tamaki staring down at me like I was some damsel in distress. "Don't worry, my darling," he cooed. "I've got you!"

"Uh, Tamaki-senpai?" I muttered, feeling dizzy from the effect of his eyes and the shining arched ceiling. "Can you please put me down?"

"Of course, my dear!" Tamaki replied, bestowing me on a couch.

"Wait, that's not what I meant…" I said, sighing and getting up.

"What's the matter boss, have you acquired another 'daughter'?" the twins teased, prancing around the room in synchronized leaps as Tamaki scrambled to chase them.

"Haruhi IS my daughter! And Ivy-kun is a lovely lady who needs protecting just as Haruhi does!" screeched Tamaki, steam rising from his head.

"At least if there's two of us, I'll get half the attention than I usually do," muttered Haruhi, walking up to stand next to me.

My brain was churning. I turned to look at Haruhi, eyes narrowing. "Wait," I said. "_Daughter?_"

The twins and Tamaki screeched to a halt, staring at me with fear. Suddenly Kyoya was also present taking notes again, though I swore he had just been grabbing his things to leave. His pen scribbled in the crackling silence.

"Daughter," I said again softly, still looking at Haruhi. "There would be no need for Tamaki to be protective if you were a boy," I added, feeling sort of sorry for saying it. I didn't want to offend either way, but Haruhi had always looked kind of girly to me.

To my relief, Haruhi shrugged, looking at Kyoya. "Well, Ivy-san's figured it out."

"Indeed she has," replied Kyoya, equally indifferent. "At least it wasn't when guests were around."

"I'm sorry," I said. "This must be a big secret to keep."

"What, are you going to use it as leverage to stop working here?" demanded Hikaru.

"Nah, she wouldn't do that, she enjoys it too much," said Kaoru. The two crossed their arms.

"And plus, you can still hold that world history exam over her head," added Kyoya.

"Ohhh yes we can!" said the twins, looking twice as pleased with themselves. I shot them a glare, though under the circumstances I didn't have much to intimidate with.

"Come on guys, let's not talk like this," interjected Haruhi. "I'm sure Ivy-san won't tell. Leverage or not. You don't seem like the manipulative type," she added, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I won't tell," I said to Haruhi, looking up at the group.

Tamaki put a hand on my other shoulder, smiling down at me. "Of course if Haruhi believes then so do I!"

"Very well, as long as the leverage holds with the twins," said Kyoya, not looking up from his clipboard. "We can't leave everything to good faith."

The twins grinned. "Oh, it'll hold," they purred. I gulped. I caught the subtext in their eyes: _You're totally our bitch forever._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

And so, as per the request of Hunny, I was obliged to eat cake with him and Mori at the end of every host club afternoon. Around a half an hour till the end of each day, the little sprite would run up to me no matter wherever and whomever I was serving, yelling "CAKE TIME CAKE TIME CAKE TIME!" and practically exploding with sugar as he lead me to his table. This was much to the annoyance of many clients, and it wasn't long until I heard mutters in other classes concerning my "cake time" with the hosts. The string section in symphony was the worst.

"_What gives that girl the right to even sit down and eat with them?"_

"_Yeah, and why is she even working there in the first place?!"_

"_She should have to pay to even _see _the hosts, just like everyone else!"_

During work one day, I approached Kyoya with my concerns.

"It's pretty obvious that most of the clients don't like me, Kyoya-senpai," I told him. "Isn't that bad for business?"

"Nonsense!" said Kyoya, tapping away at his laptop. "Jealousy is a strong motivator. Girls will attempt to increase their time with the hosts in order to make up for your gains. You hold a lucrative position as the only _known_ female employee of the host club. To be quite frank, it's great for business."

"Huh," I said, unsure how to reply to that. All Kyoya seemed to care about was what was great for business.

I had to say, besides becoming somewhat alienated from the rest of the girl population at school (save Haruhi and Hana) I didn't mind cake time at all. The obvious pattern in most of the host's entertainment tactics became mind numbing after a while. Tamaki's always whiffed of roses and exquisite romance, Haruhi's of genuine sweetness and concern. I barely ever saw Kyoya with clients, and when I did their conversations were always quite matter of fact. The "brotherly love" act, a token of the twins in which they suggested an intimate, incestual love affair was honestly an eye-roller. I had begun to realize the twin's closeness, but what was demonstrated to the guests was simply a performance. Honey never failed to turn his clients into a giant mushy pile of frosting and sugar, while Mori's polite and curt conversations never failed to cause at least one guest to squirm in the awkward silences that prevailed as they asked him forced questions.

Thinking about this one day while preparing host club tea, I found myself reaching a conclusion. "People are patterns," I murmured softly. "You are what you repeat."

And I myself had become a pattern. I rushed to music room #3 after class each day, changing quickly into my host club garb and arranging the sweets for the guests. After an afternoon of presenting the pastries and pouring the teas, Hunny would lead me over to his table and plop me in what had been deemed "Ivy-chan's spot" in between him and Mori. After a while, the girls would desensitize to my presence and focus fully on Hunny's cuteness, leaving Mori and I to sit in silence, eat cake, and observe the room around us.

No matter how many times Hunny led me to sit down next to the silent giant, I was always somehow surprised by the sudden seizure of nerves that Mori inflicted upon me with his gaze and proximity. He was a mystery—the question mark in my notebook—and that mystery was terrifying. It hadn't taken me long to heap upon the fact that Mori was very handsome and had _very_ deep black eyes, making matters worse. Even after settling into a relaxing spell of hush, all that took to break it was simple eye contact or the accidental brush of my sleeve against his.

Due to this alarming effect, I had become very accustomed to examining everywhere BUT Mori's face. I was now completely aware that the marble tiles on the floor alternated purple-pink-pink-white-purple and there were 4 tiny cherubs on each corner of the tea tray I used to serve, each holding a different Japanese character for tea. Also, Mori's shoes were approximately 3 times as large as mine and Hunny alternated from strawberry to raspberry cakes every 3rd strawberry cake.

I had written down all of these seemingly useless observations in my notebook, along with the extent of Mori and I's conversation. He had said a total of 15 things to me in the past few weeks, the special highlights including the infamous "Here, you can have mine," and of course "Good" (3 times) and "Yeah" (twice). Sometimes I wondered if Kyoya wrote about this sort of stuff, as he knew far too much about everyone and revealed snippets of his knowledge with a calculated precision. At least I only wrote these things down in class rather in front of everyone, along with doodles of cakes, sketches of my hands, Mori's shoes, and the parallel ruffles of the twin's hair.

After a while in world history, I had to stay on my toes. The professor was convinced that I did not pay attention or "value the visual merit" of his course, which I really didn't understand as the visual merit extended to dry hand gestures from his place on the podium. To make matters worse, the twins would constantly chastise me with teasing "oooooooh's" whenever I got in trouble during class, and spent the rest of the time only appearing attentive enough to barely absorb the lecture and keep my subsequent grade afloat. This was always met by additional whispers from the girls, something that had become so normal that I barely even noticed anymore.

One day, the guests at Hunny and Mori's table decided to take a precise interest in me. This was the effect of a new client who had taken to joining us, who turned her narrowed eyes on me with a highly fabricated smile.

"So, Ivy-san," she asked, blonde curls bouncing around her face as she turned to look at me. "You're from New York City?"

"I am," I told her, gripping my cake plate. "Most recently, at least. Before that I lived in Germany for a while."

"How…interesting," said the girl, feigning curiosity. "Germany is such a vulgar land. How _ever_ did you survive their fiendish customs?"

"I didn't find anything fiendish, to be honest," I said, trying not to sound defensive. "Every country is different. But every place has a concept of manners and respect."

"Why did you move so much, Ivy-chan?" asked Hunny, tugging on my sleeve.

"My dad," I explained. "His job takes us traveling a lot, though I stayed in New York the longest, almost 2 years."

"What, is your dad a criminal on the run or something?" demanded another girl. Some of the others giggled.

"Of course not," I said, trying to stay calm. I pressed my thumb into the cake plate, trying to focus on the rosy color of the center of it and how it faded to white on the outsides.

"Yeah, maybe you've got something to hide!"

"I don't," I said, face getting hot. "My dad is a photographer. He gets hired by journalists to go take photographs of their trips."

"That's super cool, Ivy-chan!" said Hunny.

"A likely cover-up," said a girl. "I bet it's something else. I mean, you can't even pay for your own tuition."

"How do you even know that?" I said, my voice faltering uncontrollably. I saw Mori's hand tense on his knee, but I refused to look at him.

"I bet your dad is in jail and you got sent away or something," said another girl. "And now you're working for the host club to bail him out."

"I mean, she _is _from New York. They're practically all criminals there!"

"I can't see why else you'd travel so much," said the blonde girl. "It is rather uncouth to be always on the move. A _true_ lady is established."

Hunny looked concerned. "Ivy-chan, what does uncouth mean?"

I struggled for words. "Well…" I was surprised I hadn't broken the cake plate with my death grasp.

"It means vulgar," rumbled Mori. I finally turned to look at him. His eyes were fiercely regarding the blonde girl and her friends, his hand still digging into his knee. "As is your behavior towards Ivy-kun. I kindly request you leave."

I stared up at him with wide eyes. He glanced my way for a moment, then back at the girls. "Leave."

The girls stood up in a chorus of "it was just a joke"s and "we were only kidding"s. A few of them glared back at me, while a couple of them didn't meet my eye.

The thin, fine china of the cake plate finally broke under my grip, slicing my thumb as it did. "I am so sorry," I gasped, finding myself short of breath. I got up quickly, poring over the china pieces and desperately trying to scrape them up onto the table. Though none of the hosts had heard the quiet altercation, now they must have seen the group of girls leaving, and looked my way.

"Goodness gracious!" I heard Tamaki gasp.

I fought back tears, mortified. I was getting blood all over the china. "It's ok," I said, more to myself than anyone, gasping a bit for air. "They were just teasing. I was overreacting, really. I promise to work off the difference for the plate—"

A hand grasped my wrist, pulling me up from where I crouched on the floor.

Mori stared down at me. "Let me see your hand," he said softly, then to Hunny: "Run and get some bandages."

I felt a gentle touch on the small of my back, leading me back over to the couch. Mori sat down next to me. Hunny soon rushed over, handing him some gauze and tape.

"Hold this," said Mori, putting the gauze on my thumb. He proceeded to tape it up gently, wavering slightly when I winced.

"All better!" said Hunny cheerfully. "Taka-chan is the best doctor!"

I broke from Mori's gaze to see the host club standing around us. "I'm sorry," I said softly. "I really made a mess."

"What happened?" asked Haruhi.

"Just…I was clumsy," I muttered.

I felt Mori turning to look at me. Terrified, I looked back at him, pleading silently for him not to tell.

He nodded at the group. "Yeah."

"Well, at least most of the girls had left by the time you had broken our china," said Kyoya, jotting something down.

"I said I'd pay for it," I said. "Besides, I owe my soul to the twins anyway."

It was meant to be a joke, but the twins didn't even grin. Everyone looked so concerned, and I felt terrible. I only now noticed that my cheeks were streaked with tears as one fell on my skirt.

"Go on now," I said quietly. "I'm fine."

As the rest walked away with nervous glances, I turned to Mori, sighing. "My father really is a photographer," I sniffed.

"I know," said Mori.

"I don't know why I got so upset. They were being rude, but I hardly reacted like I should have." I couldn't stop explaining. "I could have handled that so much better—"

"It does better not to dwell," said Mori, glancing over where Hunny was devouring a leftover cake on the cart.

I took a deep breath. "You're right." I noticed Mori's hand was still on my wrist, and I gently put my other hand over his for a moment. "Thank you."

Mori nodded, his eyes snapping back over to me. Blushing, I stood up abruptly, withdrawing my hand and wiping my face with my sleeve.

"Goodness, I still need to clean this up," I said, staring at my mess.

"Don't worry about it," said Mori. "We'll get someone else to clean it."

"Taka-chan, our car is here!" called Hunny, running out the door.

Mori bowed to me wordlessly, following quickly after his little companion.

From that day onward, as long as the host club was around, the whispers went away. Besides yesses and no's for tea and cakes, I had dissolved into the background once again, and my place at cake time was received with no recognition of my presence, besides a glance or 2 my way as I sat down.

At least for now.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was a Friday, and Kyoya had cancelled the Host Club that afternoon, neglecting to name a reason. Hikaru had mentioned mutedly that he had seen Kyoya after world history in a heated phone conversation, but besides that no one ventured to guess further. 'Business stuff,' was the general consensus.

I wasn't really sure what the host club would usually do on free Friday afternoons.

When I asked Haruhi, she shrugged. "I dunno. I usually just go home and study." The rest of the host club had stopped by music room #3 out of habit, reserving ourselves to standing around without purpose or Kyoya's direction.

I figured I'd do the same as Haruhi suggested, gathering my uniform and attempting to slip out of the door without meeting the millions of doorstops that were the host club boys. Where I ended up was again pinned against a wall nowhere near the door.

"How do you guys do that?" I sighed, prying the twins off my shoulders.

"Twin magic," they replied, matter-of-factly.

"Here's the deal, America," said Hikaru. "Kaoru and I are tired of trying in world history by ourselves."

"In other words, we'd rather have someone else try for us," continued Kaoru.

"But it's only been like…a month!" I said. "You have to try for the rest of the semester!"

"But its harrrrrrdddd" wailed the twins, attempting to collapse against me in shrill anguish.

"We will surely fail without assistance!" declared Kaoru, tossing a hand across his forehead theatrically.

"Our downward spiral can only be stopped by the might of an academic savior!" added Hikaru, copying Kaoru's gesture.

"Geez, have you guys been taking lessons from Tamaki?" I muttered. "Besides, if you're looking for academic genius you can ask Haruhi."

"Haruhi isn't taking world history," whined the twins.

I sighed. "Fine. I guess I have no choice."

The twins rubbed their hands together. "Excellent," they purred. "We'll start now!" They dragged me over to a couch and plopped me down.

"Now?" I whined.

"Like we said, this is urgent!" said Kaoru.

"I don't think there's anything urgent about it," I grumbled. "You guys are just lazy and too bored to go home."

They ignored me, throwing a pile of paper and notes into the air so they fluttered down around me. "Teach us, oh learned one!"

"Well, now you'll have to pick all of this up," said Haruhi, grabbing a paper and setting it on the table. "I might as well stay too. Who knows how much studying I'll actually get done but it's better than going home so early."

"If Haruhi stays, so do I!" declared Tamaki, appearing behind Haruhi and patting her on the head. "I don't trust leaving her with the likes of those two anyway."

"Taka-chan, can we stay?" asked Hunny, bouncing around Mori and tugging his jacket.

"Yeah," said Mori, unfazed.

"Yay! I can eat more cake!" Hunny skipped to the cellar, humming away.

And so we all settled in. I sat on the couches with the twins, attempting to keep them focused and quizzing them on leaders in ancient Sparta. Haruhi took another table and worked on her law studies for honors classes. After a while of fawning over Haruhi and soliciting for his own attention, Tamaki finally took to the piano, causing us all to stop what we were doing and listen for a while. At times I found my eyes watering for how beautifully he played, quickly rubbing my sleeve across them so the twins wouldn't notice.

Meanwhile, Hunny had set up several tables, couches, and blankets into a sort of fort-maze, while Mori searched for him in a game of hide and seek that proved difficult as Mori was taller than everything else.

"You know, you guys are actually pretty smart," I told the twins. I closed the textbook and narrowed my eyes. "If you actually tried."

"We're smart when we're together, and that's half the effort," said Hikaru. "Each of us only needs to know half the information."

"Then why do you need my help?" I sighed.

"Because it's more fun this way, duh!" they sang in unison.

"Clever bastards," I muttered under my breath. I tuned into Tamaki's playing in the background. "Hey, I recognize this!"

Tamaki looked up from the piano, smiling. "Ivy-kun, you know this?"

I walked over to stand beside him. "Of course," I said, smiling. "Por Ti Volare. Beautiful."

"I agree wholeheartedly," said Tamaki. "Do you know the words?"

"Yes!" I said, then seeing the look on his face, my eyes widened. "Oh, I mean definitely not!"

"Come on, Ivy my princess," said Tamaki, striking the keys harder. "Sing for me!"

I laughed. "No, thank you. I'm no good, I'm not just being modest."

"I'll sing with you, Ivy-chan!" said Hunny. "Write down the words!"

The twins pranced over too. "What's going on?" they asked.

"Ivy is going to sing for us!"

"No, I'm not," I whimpered, looking down.

"I think you should, Ivy-san," said Haruhi. "We'll join you. It'll be fun."

"Taka-chan even brought you a pen and paper!" said Hunny.

I turned to see Mori offering stationery covered in strawberry hearts, with a pink pen. I giggled. "You have good taste," I joked.

Mori didn't blink.

"Fine," I said to Tamaki, taking the pen and paper and blushing. "Just give me a minute."

And so the group huddled around me, haphazardly guessing the melodies and reading my scrawling handwriting. Hunny completely disregarded the melody, his little voice soaring above ours with reckless abandon, a bit too "cute" for opera, as Tamaki would comment later. Haruhi had a nice voice, much better than mine, but I found myself having to sing out to lead the rest of the hosts, then backing off suddenly at the sound of my own voice. There was a reason I was in symphony and not choir.

The twins had chosen to harmonize, and surprisingly well, though I had to stop myself from bending over laughing when they attempted to fly over the super-high notes. Mori stood in the back towering me, and when I looked back he wasn't singing, simply observing with a tiny grin. Tamaki beamed at all of us, occasionally calling out "Brava! or "Bravissima!"

When we finished, a chorus of applause rang out from the hall. We turned to see most of the usual host club guests peeking in through the door, cheering enthusiastically.

"Thank goodness Kyoya didn't see this," muttered Haruhi. "We'd be singing for the guests every day."

"That wouldn't be so bad," giggled Hunny, waving to a few of the girls in the hallway.

"Yes it would," I laughed. "As fun as that was."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Once the crowds had cleared, I slipped out of music room #3 and into music room #1. Lately after the host club I had taken to practicing the cello pieces for a while before walking home, finding that time during rehearsal wasn't enough to keep up. Setting up in the back corner of the room, I could look out at the glittering mansions and hotels while I played and watch the sunset if I ended up staying that long (I usually did). Plus, in the corner my sound bounced right back at me instead of echoing throughout the room.

There was a sort of midnight hush between each note in such an empty chamber. I wasn't a virtuoso, heck; I was the third to last cello in the symphony. But every once in a while, when I hit the notes just right, pulled the strings just so, I swear the whole room would vibrate with sound. And it helped me keep up with the fast pace of the symphony, ensuring that the director wouldn't fail me.

After locking up my cello, I tiptoed through the hallways and down the stairs to begin my trek to the hotel. Turning a corner, I once again ran into someone—in fact, the same someone. I sprang back.

"Mori!" I said, with surprise. "Sorry! Why are you here so late?"

"Mitsukuni wanted me to brush up on some martial arts tactics for a ceremony for his family," said Mori. I noticed he was carrying a gym bag. "I practice in the empty gym in the other wing."

"Oh," I said. "That makes sense. I practice cello after the host club on most evenings. Where's Hunny?"

"Mitsukuni is already home," said Mori.

"I see." I shuffled my feet awkwardly. "Well, I better start heading home…"

Instead of simply nodding and leaving as I expected him to, Mori cocked his head to the side. "Do you have a driver?"

"A driver?" I laughed, thinking he was kidding.

"Yes, a driver. Or some way to get back."

So he wasn't kidding. "Oh. Uhm, no, honestly. I usually just walk. I only live 10 minutes away at the Lapis Hotel, and the area is pretty safe."

Mori paused for a second, regarding me and my words with equal weight. "It is not safe for you to be walking home at night on your own," he said decidedly. "I'll have my driver drop you off."

"Oh, please don't!" I said, blushing. "I don't want to be a burden. Plus, I really actually enjoy the walk. It's so peaceful and I get to pass through this purple garden…"

Mori nodded. "Very well. Then I shall escort you back to the Lapis."

I wasn't going to argue with the look on his face.

And so we walked. As always I started out wondering what I should say, if anything at all, but just as Hunny's cheerful compliments and the girl's subsequent squeals fill in the space between, so did the sound of our footsteps. I had to walk slightly faster to keep up with his long stride, and I felt as if he was even slowing down a bit to not force me to jog.

Even without words, Mori's presence filled the journey with a completely different aura. I glanced hyperactively at everything around me, everything I had seen for weeks of walking home by myself. I wondered if he thought the skyline looked like a jagged piece of ripped paper, or let his eyes trail after the fireflies in the bushes. When we walked past the fountains in the purple garden, I inhaled deeply, enchanted by the exotic, wealthy smell of flowers and cleanliness and chlorine.

At some times I would become aware of our footsteps being in time, jarring awkwardly at others. He stopped to let me examine the words etched into a bird bath we passed by, wordlessly regarding me instead of the surrounding area. A couple of times I gathered the courage to look at him while we walked, and instead he would stare straight forward.

_People are patterns,_ I repeated to myself. _Except for you, Mori-senpai. You're still a puzzle._

Once we reached the hotel, I bowed gratefully. "Thank you for accompanying me, Mori-senpai."

"Mhmm," he replied, nodding at me before entering a few numbers into his phone.

"You have a way to get home, right?" I asked, feeling silly as soon as I said it.

"Yeah," said Mori, gesturing towards his phone. "Our driver."

"Of course," I said timidly. "Silly me. I'll see you on Monday." I turned to go inside.

"Ivy-kun," Mori called.

I turned around.

"I can walk you home on Monday, if you'd like," he grumbled, breaking my gaze for the first time. "Mitsukuni is always home by this hour."

I smiled, feeling my face flush. "That would be great. Thank you again, Mori-senpai."

He nodded, refusing to betray a smile. "You should go inside before it gets too cold."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

My life at Ouran seemed to grow in patterns. I worked for the host club; I even took up a culinary course in hopes that I could make some of the sweets myself. Hunny indulged in my presence with Cake Time, and a few of the girls who were Hunny's regular guests started to include me occasionally in conversation. I tutored the twins a couple of times a week, which usually started with academics and ended with them having me try on outfits for our specially themed host club events. Even so, the studying proved to help, for all our grades in world history went up.

Each day after the host club concluded and we sent the guests home, Mori would approach me in the pantry and help me put away the china. And each day, he asked, "Ivy-kun, will you be staying late tonight?"

Unless I had a rare previous engagement—almost never—I would say yes and thank him for staying. He practiced martial arts (which I found out from Haruhi was big deal in the Haninozuka and Morinozuka families) until he heard me coming down the stairs. Then, usually wordlessly, our paths would merge and we'd head out the door.

Just as I had grown accustomed to our shared silence during Cake Time while accumulating useless observations, so it continued in our garden walks to the hotel. It turned out the area I had been passing through was part of the grounds of an enormous mansion held by some CEO of an American business firm who had donated a significant amount of money to Ouran—as I had discovered upon examining the name on an elaborate archway and asking at Ouran later on. There were 9 fountains on the path we took, but the second and the last ones were my favorite. A small bonsai garden branched down a different path to the side of ours, which Mori allowed me to stop and explore one evening. I had also noticed that Mori's gait was very quiet, feet almost never dragging in the dirt or gravel areas. One night, when I had locked my locker key IN my instrument locker, Mori insisted on carrying my cello case, simply offering a hand.

However, my curiosity was growing. Though I was often content looking around and wandering in my own thoughts during our hush, I was having increasing trouble trying to figure out who Mori exactly was, or what his actions had not yet revealed. I had scribbled down a few things about him in my notebook, with some words and instances that gave clues to the puzzle.

_Gave me his cake. Bandaged my finger. Walks me home. Helps me with the china. Carried my cello._

I ran these words through my head one evening as we walked. _Silent. Pronounced. Stoic. Deliberate. KIND. _How could I possibly learn more in our shared silence? Did I need to know more?

I decided to try, but with baby steps.

The funny thing was that I didn't care as much about his past, family, childhood, etc. Being someone who had been "shaped" by the countries I had lived in and the people I met, I had plenty of stories to tell, but found that deep down there was always a part of me that remained me no matter what else changed—location, appearance, friends. It was the part that gave me shivers when I played music, the part that appeared in my doodles or when I blushed around the twins or Mori regardless of all self-control. I wasn't sure if others felt this way about something not changing within, but I figured Mori was a good chance to find out. That was the part I wanted to dig into—the unchanging part.

"What is that guy hiding?" I often heard girls saying.

"He's just too shut-up for me. Doesn't even say hello!"

I disagreed with their suspicion.

And so I decided to talk to Mori, a little at a time. I justified it not as a need for conversation, since I was perfectly happy with the silence, but as a means to an end. I wanted to know more, even if it was a little tidbit at a time. That required asking the right questions.

One night, as we walked through the purple garden, I hung back a couple of times, studying a particular flower or pillar on the side of a trail. As I examined whatever I named, I glanced back at him, where he regarded me with shoulders slightly tensed and an air of a giant sentinel. Then as we walked, as always, I looked up to see his eyes fixed straight forward, never exploring.

"Why do you do that?" I said, hoping I didn't sound critical.

Mori glanced down at me. "Do what?"

"Not look around." I wondered if he would even answer. _It's ok if you don't, _I told him silently. _Even that would tell me something._

"I look ahead for strangers or threats," he replied, returning his eyes to the path.

_That would explain why he watches me when I'm not right next to him,_ I thought. _To make sure nothing grabs me._

"You'd do the same for Hunny-senpai?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

Mori nodded. I was sure he'd do the same for Haruhi, or whoever he was protecting at the time. Haruhi had told me of him carrying her through the tropical resort when they had to search for Hunny.

I remained quiet for the rest of the walk, except thanking Mori when we reached the hotel, as always. Later that night, I wrote down a few more things in my notebook. _Protective. Responsible._

The next night, I asked: "Why are you in the host club?"

"Because Mitsukuni wished to join," said Mori.

"Did you mind?"

He paused. "No," he said simply. "As long as Mitsukuni didn't mind."

Then, pleasant silence as I chewed on his words.

The next night: "Do you like cake?"

Mori raised his eyebrows. "Is that important?"

"Yes," I said matter –of-factly, grinning. I decided to elaborate. "You didn't eat cake until the first day I sat down with you and Hunny."

Once again, he took a moment before responding. "No," he said finally. "I do not like cake."

"Well, you don't have to eat it when I offer it to you," I told him. "Now that I know you don't like it."

Mori shrugged. "It makes Mitsukuni happy when I eat cake."

The next night: "What are you going to do when Hunny-senpai gets a job or moves away someday?"

"I'll do what he wishes me to," Mori replied. "If he wants me to join him, I'll follow."

"And if not?" I asked.

"Then I suppose I'll go down a different path," he said simply.

_Huh,_ I thought. _Loyal, of course._

My favorite response came from the question I saved for just as we reached the end of the garden and stepped onto the street one night.

"What do you do when you have nothing else to?" I asked.

"Read," said Mori.

I could picture it immediately: him in his probably giant mansion of a home, after Hunny was accounted for and I had been walked to the hotel, reading near the window. He was just the person I could see devouring innumerable books, storing words in his head like diamonds in a safe.

He never asked me about myself. But that was ok. I figured I was telling him enough with the questions I was asking.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A couple of weeks went by, each day with a question and an answer. I had tallied a great list of things I now knew about Mori. If anything the answers he gave served to reinforce what I had already expected: Mori was quiet, kind, loyal, and wise. He greeted each question with the same simple openness and never initiated to stop or start the inquisition. When I paused along the path or giggled at some of his answers, I felt his eyes on me, as if they were asking their own silent questions, ones I didn't know how to answer.

We had been sitting after the host club enjoying some instant coffee when Hikaru and Kaoru attacked me from both sides as usual, squishing me between them on the couch.

"So, America," said Hikaru, tilting up my chin with his finger. "Someone has been hiding something."

"Wh-what?" I gulped, wide-eyed.

The two of them cackled. "Don't get too close, she might explode!"

"Calm down, calm down," I sighed, trying to shake off the goose bumps on my neck. "Just…don't do stuff like that."

"What, like this?" said Kaoru, putting his arm around my waist.

"Or this?" said Hikaru, reaching from the other side.

I felt my face redden. "Guys…"

They cackled some more, and I hid my face in my hands, hoping they had forgotten their accusation of me hiding something.

"Not so fast, America, don't think you've escaped unscathed!" they said, sidling in closer again.

"Hunny-senpai here says you've been walking home with Mori-senpai most nights!" accused Kaoru.

"Yes, she has!" said Hunny, giggling. "And it's OH so cute!"

My eyes raced to Mori, who took a bite of cake, almost apologetically. "You don't even like cake, you bastard_,"_ I muttered under my breath. He pretended not to hear.

"So, do fill us in," said Hikaru, poking my arm. "What HAVE you been up to?"

"Mori-senpai has been escorting Ivy-kun to her hotel for around 2 weeks now," said Kyoya matter-of-factly, regarding his clipboard.

My eyes widened. "How do you even know that, Kyoya-senpai?" I demanded. I looked to Mori. He rolled his eyes, shrugging.

Kyoya ignored my question. "Approximately 2 hours after host club, Mori-senpai walks Ivy-kun through Finley Gardens over to the Lapis Hotel across the street."

"Is that _all_ he does?" the twins purred.

I punched them both in the arm. "Of course, dimwits," I grumbled. "He just makes sure I'm safe walking home."

"Well then!" Tamaki sighed. "How chivalrous of you, Mori-senpai."

"That _is_ really nice of you," agreed Haruhi, shooing the twins from their spots next to me and sitting down. "At least you live close by, I usually have to take the bus to get home."

Later that night on our walk, I asked: "Did you tell Hunny-senpai or Kyoya-senpai about you walking me home?"

"I told Mitsukuni," Mori replied, adding, "He would have asked me anyway." Then a pause. "I didn't tell Kyoya."

"Huh," I said. "Kyoya-senpai just seems to know everything."

Mori didn't reply, returning his eyes to the path.

I hoped he didn't think I minded the host club knowing we walked together. I could stand the teasing of Hikaru and Kaoru. If anything I was more concerned about the school knowing, specifically the girls Mori had dismissed several weeks back who had stopped coming to the host club. They had approached me a few days later attempting to tease me outside of class, but luckily the twins were there to tell them off. Still, I worried.

At least he didn't look concerned when he bid me good night.

A few days later, the twins approached me, eyes sparkling. "We bring tidings of good fortune!" they declared, grabbing my shoulders and steering me down the hall.

"And what is that?" I asked, prying them off of me.

"You're going to come live with us!" they sang.

I froze. "_What?_"

They looked far too pleased with themselves as we walked to lunch.

"Do I even get a say in this?" I asked.

"Nope!" said Kaoru.

"Our mother talked to your aunt, apparently," said Hikaru. "Can't imagine what would prompt her to do such a thing."

I thought of my walks with Mori. My eyes narrowed. "Guys…"

They threw up their hands in mock innocence.

"It simply makes more sense for you to stay with us!" said Kaoru. "It'll save you poor auntie the cost of the hotel."

"She's nowhere close to poor," I muttered.

"Plus, our mother has more items for you to try on," added Hikaru. "Since you're slightly taller than most and look nice in most things, you're the perfect at-home model!"

"But—" I started.

"You'll be staying in our guest house on the grounds," said Kaoru. "And riding with us to school."

I sighed. It _did_ make more sense for me to stay with someone. I would have to rely on my aunt for one less thing. Plus I didn't mind trying on clothes for the twin's mother, Yuzuha Hitachiin—sometimes she let me keep them if she didn't end up choosing something for a show.

"Aw, why the long face, America?" said Hikaru.

"She's sad because we're taking away her midnight strolls with sweet Mori-senpai," replied Kaoru. "Now that she has a driver."

"Awwwwwwww!" they crooned in unison, leaning in.

I looked down. "Why are you guys doing this?" I asked quietly. "I mean, I'm very grateful, just…I know it isn't about my aunt or your mother…"

"Ivy-san," said Kaoru, taking my hand. "We're just trying to help."

"How is this helping?" I snapped. "I just wanted to get to know him…"

"Mhmmmmmmm," purred the twins, eyebrows wiggling.

"Stop!" I said, seeing Mori, Hunny, and Haruhi coming over to join us at the lunch table.

The twins leaned in, shaking their heads. "Silly girl," whispered Hikaru, patting my head. "This means he'll have to find another way to spend time with you."

Mori put down his tray only seconds after Hikaru spoke.

_Good point, _I thought, feeling slightly giddy now. _But what if he doesn't care about spending more time with me?_

"Hi, Mori-senpai," I said quietly, looking down.

"Hello, Ivy-kun," replied Mori.

"Hi Ivy-chan!" added Hunny.

I ignored the twins, who were grinning ear to ear.

We didn't announce the news until after the Host Club was over for the day.

"Just don't let them go anywhere near your bed!" said Tamaki, grabbing my arm urgently. "I don't trust those two as far as I could throw them."

"Which wouldn't be far, weakling," sneered the twins.

"Tamaki may have a point," added Haruhi, restraining him from tackling the twins.

"I'm sure your aunt will be pleased you found somewhere to stay," said Kyoya.

Mori said nothing.

"Wait, Ivy-chan," said Hunny. "Does that mean Taka-chan won't walk you home anymore?"

"I suppose so," I told him, trying to sound cheerful. "The twins' driver can take me if I stay late." I finally turned to Mori. "Thank you for escorting me, though. I won't be moving in for a couple of days or so."

"Of course," said Mori. "I will walk you home until then, if you need."

I could feel the twin's eyes burning into the side of my face. Mori was regarding me carefully, but said nothing more.

On the last night of my hotel living, I thought about all the things I had learned so far about this mysterious giant. It was all stored away as answers and instances, images of fountains and my bandaged finger and secretly despised cake. I was determined to know more, escort or not.

I decided to make the most of the last walk.

"I'm going to tell you a thing or two about myself," I offered.

"Ok," said Mori, staring ahead.

"I'm rubbish at cello," I told him. "But I love the symphony."

Mori chuckled, a dark nighttime sound like rocks falling down a cliff. I jumped a bit, the noise unfamiliar.

"You're not rubbish," he said.

I grinned. "I'm also not especially good at anything, besides remembering other things."

There was a comfortable hush. "Go on," Mori finally rumbled.

"Every memory is like a tiny movie reel in my head," I told him. "When I remember things, I remember shapes and colors. Snapshots."

"Hm," said Mori.

"That's why I think I try to notice so much," I added. "To save it for later."

Mori nodded slightly, seeming to chew on the thought. "Interesting."

I could have told him more, but I decided that was enough. I looked up and he was grinning slightly.

When we got to the front of the hotel, I smiled at him and bowed. "As always, thank you," I told him. "Maybe we'll find another time to walk."

_And talk,_ I added to myself.

Used to Mori's usual silent goodbye, I turned to leave without a thought.

"Ivy."

I turned around. Mori looked confused, an expression I had never seen him wear. His eyes almost sparkled.

"Why?" he asked.

I almost laughed. He _would_ ask something so vauge. "Why what?"

"The questions. The answers. How little you talk in between."

Now I laughed openly. "I think this is the most you've said to me at one time. And it's all a question."

As if responding to my teasing, he stared more sternly and shrugged.

I smiled. "Why not?"

Mori was still silent, as if waiting for more. I took a step forward.

"You're quiet, and I don't mind," I said. "But what you say is just as interesting."

Still he said nothing.

"Does that make sense?" I asked.

Mori seemed to think for a moment. The grin came back. "I suppose," he grumbled. "You sound like Mitsukuni."

And then, wordlessly, he climbed into the limousine that had pulled up behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"This is a _guest house?_" I gasped, entering the giant doors and almost dropping one of my boxes of belongings as I looked around. It was an enormous step up from the hotel room, and even that had been ridiculous.

"Psh, this is nothing," said the twins, walking over to an enormous sofa and reclining with a single _whumpf_. "Wait until you see OUR house."

I looked around in awe. Enormous living room, my own kitchen, even. I poked my head into another door. "There's a _library _in here."

"There's a piano in one of the other rooms down the hall," said Hikaru, gesturing lazily. "Your own little practice area."

I beamed. "This is amazing!"

The twins smiled back. "Aw, our little America-kun is happy," cooed Kaoru. "And we'll have some more clothes sent for you later. Your closet's already halfway full upstairs."

"If you wear anything of Mother's on the weekends, just be sure to take a picture with the computer so we can show her how it looks," said Hikaru. "Or wear it to dinner."

His words faded as I ran up the stairs into the master bedroom.

My jaw dropped when I saw the closet.

When I settled in, I regarded all I had brought along. My backpack, some cameras, notebooks, cello music, an old mp3 player, and some battered copies of my favorite illustrated books. Most of my hardcore traveling gear had been left at my aunt's after I flew in. My own clothing, uniforms included, took up 2 drawers.

At dinnertime, I slipped on one of the evening gowns the twins had left on my bed to wear. The twins and their mother fawned over me during the meal, so different from me humming to myself while eating room service and watching crummy TV shows each evening at the hotel.

"You're a VISION!" Yuzuha declared. "With some rhinestones on the shoulder this could practically take on a _gala_."

"Mmmmmmmmhmm!" the twins agreed, mouths full. I giggled.

"Boys, please," she chastised them. "Be polite."

The two swallowed, pursed their lips and raising their arms dramatically. "YOU'RE A VISION!" they shrieked.

"Oh, stop that," snapped Yuzuha.

On Monday morning, I still hadn't grown accustomed to waking up to vaulted ceilings and the enormous space around me. My bath resembled a small pond; my closet was the size of a cottage I had stayed in in Norway a few years ago.

The twins and I all rolled into the limo to be carted to school, and the two of them were slightly groggy and far less snarky until the sun hit them. Whispers surrounded us as I stepped out of the limo with them and walked up the steps to Ouran. They stood on either sides of me like bodyguards.

"Ignore those idiots, America," said Hikaru. "What, we're not allowed to share a GIRLFRIEND?" he added, much louder. Heads turned.

"Oh my goodness, can you PLEASE shut up?" I hissed, shoving him.

"Oh, we can share her," shouted Hikaru. "We share EVERYTHING, dear Kaoru!"

"Geez, what are you guys doing to her?" said Haruhi, falling in line with us. I had tried to run away but the twins had each hooked an arm around mine.

"Just having some fun," said Kaoru. "America's a part of the Hitachiin family now, she can take it."

"Doesn't look like she's having very much fun," said Haruhi.

"Nah, she just has a funny way of showing it!" said the twins.

Of course, upon that far too dramatic entrance the news spread quickly that I had moved in with the Hitchachiin family. And, much to the twin's twisted amusement, riding alongside the news was the ridiculous rumor that they were indeed sharing me as a "female companion."

If whispers had accompanied my presence before, now they descended in a fog of speculation and disapproval. Due to Haruhi's secret and post in the club, her closeness to the club members was acceptable. Mine, however, was not protected by the guise of masculinity.

"How is living with the twins?" Hana asked one day, still one of the few girls who remained genuinely friendly throughout the term.

I shrugged as I set up my cello and music stand. Hana and I had both moved up 2 chairs in the cello section since we had been practicing.

"They're goofballs and idiots, and when they don't care about something, the _really_ don't care about it," I told her. "But once you get past all that, it's kind of fun. And their mother is incredibly nice. I spend most of the time in my own house, though." I chuckled, marveling that I could say 'my own house.'

"Do you still have to tutor them?" said Hana.

"Once in a while. We never really get much done but they're doing alright, so it works, I guess."

Hana shook her head. "A job with the host club, a house with the Hitachiins…no wonder every girl at this school hates you."

I couldn't imagine what would happen if anyone knew Mori had walked me home. To my surprise, he still helped me with the pantry after the host club, though it was dominated by the normal quiet of china clinking and cabinets shuffling.

Occasionally I still stayed after school to practice cello, even though I could now practice at the guest house. Each time I did, Mori (who was still training for kendo) would meet me in the hallway on my way out. We'd smile quietly; perhaps I'd ask him a question or two as we waited for the limo—he always offered to wait with me even if his had already arrived. The questions and answers given weren't engulfed in the calm rhythm of our night walks, and his questions for me were few and far in between. But, sometimes as I stood at the steps of Ouran with Mori and made him grin or chuckle I could almost smell the damp leaves and fountain-y air like we were once again on the path to Lapis Hotel.

The twins approached me one morning with excitement in their eyes.

"Hey, America," said Kaoru, rubbing his hands together. "We have a new treat for you."

"As long as it isn't strapless or purple," I mumbled, grabbing an apple from the kitchen. 9 times out of 10 a treat from the twins meant a newfangled piece of clothing from their mother.

"It's neither of those things," said Hikaru, grabbing my apple and taking a bite. "Today's a theme day for the host club."

"Yeah, so?" I said, snatching back the apple. "I usually just wear my host club uniform anyway."

"Not anymore," they declared.

"Kyoya let us change it up," said Hikaru.

I wracked my brain to remember what today's theme was. Then I remembered.

"Oh, wonderful," I sighed, shuffling out the door with my backpack and ignoring the twin's muffled chuckles.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I guess it could've been worse. It could have been the time we did 18th century French gentry.

When I slipped into music room #3, the lights had been dimmed and curtains pulled to obstruct the afternoon sun. Yellow-hazed dim lamps were set up around all the couches, which were covered with blankets and rugs. A jaunty old record player huddled in the corner, oozing brassy tunes and ragtime piano. The whole room seemed to smell of salt and American spice.

The first I spotted of the host club were the twins. The two straightened their swallow-tailed onyx black tuxedos and fixed themselves with boutonnieres (an orange rose for Kaoru, blue for Hikaru).

"You clean up nicely," I said as they led me to the curtained area.

"Not nearly as nicely as you will," said Kaoru.

I grabbed the silver hanger and examined the frock. "Isn't this a bit much for a Thursday afternoon?"

I heard Tamaki from outside the curtain. "Nonsense! This isn't a Thursday afternoon! It is a sultry Saturday evening in a posh Chicago parlor! _Immerse yourself,_ my dear!"

I rolled my eyes, shoving the twins so I could change. "And the jewelry, too?" I called out.

"Everything!" said the twins.

As always, I was impressed. The frock hung like a satin slip, low waisted and loose in the style of American flappers. Ruby-colored beads lined the skirt and bodice, reflecting nicely off the burgundy color of the dress. I arranged a brassy gold headpiece into the waves of my hair, fixing the starburst-shaped pendant in the front. After putting on the matching earrings and slipping on some shiny gold flats, I crept out from behind the curtain, trying to get to the coffee cart (which was replacing the tea cart) without the twins' over-the-top impersonation of their mother regarding my clothing. As usual, my attempts were in vain.

"Oh my dear GOODNESS, you look RADIANT!" shrieked Kaoru.

"It's like walking into a _dream_," crooned Hikaru.

"Come on, guys," I grumbled, adjusting the frock. "That's getting old."

"It'll never get old," they snapped.

"You do look really nice, Ivy-san," said Haruhi, who had also donned a tux and red rosed-boutonniere. "You match the room quite well."

"Match the room? She OUTSHINES the room!" Tamaki declared. His rose was yellow-green.

"They style is authentic," commented Kyoya, making a note. His rose was purple. "Well done, twins."

"I'm sure I'll blend in," I said nervously. This was different than trying on things just for the Hitachiin family.

I looked over to Mori, who was fixing Hunny's pink rose to his tuxedo and adjusting his own blue one. He nodded slightly, a tiny grin shadowing the corners of his mouth. "Very nice," he said softly.

I cocked my head to the side, feeling like I was the only one who heard him.

To no host's surprise, the guests adored the Roaring Twenties theme. They sat in huddles on the couches, sipping coffee and fussing with their hair while the hosts reclined with an air of underground dignity.

A group of especially nice girls fawned over my frock as I pushed around the coffee cart to their table.

"So vintage, so effervescent!" one girl crooned, a new guest.

"Thank you," I said meekly, looking down.

"But really though," said another, also new. "You should dress for every theme. You're the token girl of these gentlemen. A rose among the leaves."

I laughed. "They're far more rosy than myself most of the time. This is just my job."

"And a job well done," said Tamaki, coming up behind the girls and causing several muffled squeals. "Hello, my darlings," he sang, now addressing them.

I pushed the cart onward, clicking my heels together as I walked. I imagined I was a flapper girl, drinking in the smoke and liquor of tiny Chicago basements. I hummed along softly with the record player's whiny brass bands.

"Ivy-chan!" I turned to see Hunny before me, and snapped quickly out of my daydream.

"Don't think you're escaping Cake Time just because you look pretty," said Hunny, grabbing my hand.

"Of course not," I replied, following him over to the couches. "Though I must say you look quite dapper yourself, Hunny-senpai."

He giggled and returned to his throngs of girls. I picked a tiny slice of caramel cake and turned to Mori, who was in his usual place on the other side of me.

"I swear, Hunny-senpai is trying to fatten me up to eat for dinner!" I joked.

Mori chuckled softly. He looked very handsome in his tuxedo, and when I tried to tell him this the words were snagged with a sudden seizure of nerves.

I took a shuddering breath, trying to nonchalantly sip my coffee.

"Everything alright?" asked Mori.

I nodded, shaking my head with a little laugh.

"What?" said Mori, raising an eyebrow.

I stared at my shoes, then his, blushing. "Just a bit tongue-tied, I suppose."

I felt his eyes studying me.

"Hmm," he finally replied, then leaned back, letting us slip into our usual comfortable hush. However, I could hear silent questions like a smoky hum about Mori's head, like he was breathing them out through his nose. I had been sensing this more and more recently, like the haze of curiosity had spread to finally capture us both. I wondered what he had to ask, and how I could possibly answer.

The twins approached me after the curtains had been opened and the rugs folded away.

I sighed, untangling the headpiece from my hair. "What did you do now?"

"Only something awesome," they replied.

"Look guys, I can't study tonight," I grumbled, stowing away the earrings. "I need to practice and I have other work to—"

"Ivy."

I stopped at their use of my actual name.

Hikaru stepped forward, grabbing both of my shoulders. "You're free."

"What?" I said, confused.

"You're free," repeated Kaoru. "You don't have to worry about tutoring us anymore."

"_What?_" I said.

"We talked to sensei," said Hikaru. "We told him we were caught up and could take care of ourselves now."

I looked up to see the host club gathered around us. "When did this happen?" I asked.

"Uh…well, actually… a few weeks back…" said Kaoru, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You didn't tell me for a few WEEKS?" I exclaimed. I tried to be angry but I felt a chuckle deep in my stomach. I attempted to repress it for my dignity.

The two leapt away, as if I was going to strike them. Even so, they were grinning too.

"You know, this means you're also free from your host club duties," said Hikaru. "But we figured you might want to stay and be our hostess."

I felt a smile creep up the side of my face, but I said nothing.

"If that isn't enough, we even got Kyoya to approve a small wage for your services," added Kaoru.

"Only enough to cover you eating your cake and cup of tea each day," said Kyoya dryly. "I really should be charging you for sitting on the job."

Tamaki was beaming. "How wonderful! Our own little hostess! ...aside from you, Haruhi!"

Haruhi ignored him. "I think you should keep the job," she added.

I looked to Mori. He nodded simply, but a sort of glint in his eyes sparkled with a clinking noise that sounded like _stay._

My eyes welled up a bit. I glared at the twins. "You little morons," I sighed, laughing. "Fine. Thanks. I'll stay."

On the way home, Hikaru chuckled knowingly. "And we have something else for you," he told me. "To completely make up for leading you on for a while."

"And—added bonus—I think Mori will like it too," purred Kaoru.

I punched his arm, trying to repress my intense curiosity in the meantime.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

My gift was waiting for me on my bed when I slipped into my room after school, the twins hanging at the door.

My breath caught in my chest when I saw it.

It was a gorgeous ball gown. Later I decided it was the color of the fringe of bluish-green where the sky goes from orange to purple in a sunset. The skirt was covered in layers of thin gauze like sea foam, with a crust of rhinestones concentrated at the waist and diffusing to the bottom. The top was composed of simple blue-green folds with ribbon-y capped sleeves, affixed with a silvery fabric rose at the hip.

"Guys…you didn't have to…" I started, weakly sitting down on the bed next to the dress.

"Well, to be fair, your aunt pitched in." I heard Yuzuha's voice in the doorway. "I told her about your…predicament taking care of my boys in world history." She glared at the twins. "It's a thank you from me as well."

"You're not allowed to try it on until the winter gala for the host club next weekend," said Kaoru.

"We have your measurements. It'll fit for sure," added Hikaru.

"As disturbed as I am at YOU TWO knowing my measurements…just. Wow," I sighed, running a hand over the silver flower. Then I laughed. "I guess tutoring you guys paid off in the end."

"Whatever, America," said the twins.

Yuzuha smacked the boys. "It's a joy to have you here," she said sweetly.

As they left the room, Hikaru lingered at the door for a moment. He grinned, leaning in. "Dance with him, or you're fired as hostess."

I blushed, grinning back. "Oh, shut up."

The following week, it seemed like the entire academy was humming with the buzz about the Host Club Winter Gala. Girls scrambled to buy their tickets—we were sold out by Tuesday afternoon at our cake-bedazzled ticket booths. The rest of the week was filled with chatter about gowns, hair, and which host girls most wanted to dance with—Tamaki of course dominating this discussion in merit.

Each morning I glanced into my closet, where the ball gown hung like an hourglass, counting down the dull hours with sparkling rhinestone seconds.

The host club spent an extra hour or so after hosting each week to make plans. Flowers and bouquets were ordered, caterers assigned, musicians contacted. I agreed to play cello for part of the evening, as per request of Tamaki, as my job distributing refreshments would be taken care of by additional waiting staff.

By Friday the ballroom began to glitter with ribbons and trimmings, and the quartet and I made our final changes to our lineup of pieces. By the last period of class on Friday, the buzz had grown to a dull roar. I ducked into music room #3 to escape the noise for a minute before heading home, only to find Mori and Honey packing up from an extra kendo session (the host club had been cancelled that day).

"Hi Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai," I greeted breathlessly.

Hunny beamed. "Hi, Ivy-chan! Are you excited for the ball tomorrow night?"

"Of course," I replied, eyes flicking to Mori.

"We're excited too!" said Hunny, shouldering his bag. "Or, at least I am. I think Mori might be, but he's not really the excited type."

Mori said nothing.

I moved aside to let them pass through the doors.

"See you tomorrow," I said quietly.

Mori paused for a moment, seeming to study my face. "See you, Ivy-kun."

The entire day Saturday, jitters rose like a bubbling geyser in my chest. The twins took this opportunity to hide in various places in my house and jump out at me to mock my heightened nerves, usually ending in cat-and-mouse chases and lots of smacks on the arm.

As the evening drew closer, their mischief took on the guise of support. Jewelry was carted into my room, the twins holding up a certain necklace or bracelet to the dress and chattering in the overly posh fashion vernacular of their mother, a language I was still getting used to. I tried to combat my nerves by thinking of all the past dances I'd been to. The fanciest ones I had gone to were seasonal balls while staying in Austria with a minor archduke, but even that event was far plainer than the Host Club Winter Gala.

Soon the time came to get ready. With the help of Yuzuha we had tamed my unruly waves with a silver laurel headband, tucking the usual annoying curl or two away from my face. I donned tiny matching earrings and a silver pendant around my neck that matched the silver rose on the gown, struggling with clasps as I wondered what small fortune the each of the gems were worth.

"America!"

I jumped. The twins were at the door, sporting far more modern tuxedos than the ones worn for the Roaring Twenties theme.

"You haven't changed yet?" said Kaoru.

"No..." I mumbled, suddenly feeling self-conscious as I realized I was wearing fine jewelry, pajama pants, and a Brazil T shirt.

The twins grinned, but said nothing further on the matter.

"There's something we gotta tell you before we leave," said Hikaru.

"You're leaving already?" I squawked, panicking. I fumbled with the makeup Yuzuha had loaned me.

"Calm down, beauty queen. You're going in a different limo," said Kaoru.

"And we have fleshed out operation Ivy-Dances-With-Mori 2.0," said Hikaru.

"Wh-what?" I said.

"He seems to like you…and god knows what actually goes on in that head of his. And you like him, right?" said Kaoru.

I looked down, face flushing. "Sure, yeah. Whatever."

"So basically you're going to dance with him, or else," they told me.

"Or else?" I echoed, eyeing them warily.

"Hmmm….or else, we show the host club this picture of you in your jewelry and pajamas," said Hikaru, smugly producing a glossy polaroid.

"_How…_" I sighed.

"Also, you'll get an extra point if you walk with him in the garden outside the gala," said Kaoru, rubbing his palms together. "Plenty of girls will dance with him. But a garden walk is gold. And you have experience with garden walks…"

"Why do you guys even care," I whined, attempting to sound indifferent despite the pounding in my chest at the thought of another garden walk with Mori.

"Because! It's entertaining!" they sang, twirling in their tuxes.

"And we want our little America Hitachiin to be happy…and in love," added Kaoru.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'll see what I can do. Now off with you two. Go be annoying somewhere else."

They scampered off, urging me to not forget 'my mission' for the evening.

Yuzuha had helped me pick out a pair of black slacks and a blue green blouse to wear during my cello duty for the first half of the evening, since I definitely couldn't play in a giant poufy skirt. After slipping the cello clothing on, I stowed the gown away carefully in a huge garment bag, along with my music and cello case.

"Look out, world," I chuckled, slipping into the limo and folding my garment bag into the seat next to me. "Ivy's got a gown."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When I slipped in the door next to the quartet's podium, the hosts had just gathered on the stairs at the front of the ballroom to welcome the guests. I nodded at the twins as I took my seat next to the others, and the twins sent back mirrored winks.

"Welcome, lovely ladies, to tonight's Host Club Winter Gala!" Tamaki spread his arms wide, sparkling in a white tuxedo with a pink flower.

The girls all applauded, and I gazed out into the glittering throngs of ballroom gowns and jewelry. Even Hana (who almost never attended the host club) was there, along with the usual weekly guests I had grown to know by face and name.

The hosts lined up like an elegant fan behind Tamaki, each in a different colored suit. There were the twins, of course in matching dark grey, Kyoya in a deep blue number, and Haruhi in a modest maroon evening jacket. Behind them, Hunny (in power blue) hugged his bunny who he had dressed up in a little bowtie. Mori loomed behind him, presenting everyone his gentle but welcoming smile he always wore for greeting guests with other hosts. His suit was onyx black, well fitted against his wiry form, almost gleaming in the light of the chandeliers. His eyes met mine for a moment, and I waved meekly with my cello bow. He grinned a tiny bit wider, but returned his eyes to the guests.

"We hope you all have a wonderful evening and dance to your heart's content!  
said Kyoya.

The hosts gestured grandly to the string quartet. I nodded at Haruhi as I lifted my bow to the strings, and we were off.

As I played, I was still able to enjoy the throngs of dancers—the lilting waltzes were very simple and my fingers flowed over the strings absentmindedly as I looked out on the crowd. I loved musical pieces such as these, so simple, yet so full of emotion that pulled feet across the marble dance floor.

Some hosts, such as Tamaki and Haruhi, were swarmed with requests to dance left and right, and both accepted them with grace. Kyoya danced occasionally but spent most of his time observing from the wall. The twins stood near the punch bowls, doling out tiny glass cups and smiles to the girls. And Hunny was careening freely, twirling girls about and galloping across the floor with unhindered joy while Mori watched him nearby, almost never dancing.

We flew from song to song, dance to dance. It put me in a sort of trance in between the reeling tunes and the mosaic of colorful dresses flashing like exotic flowers in the fading evening colors. It only seemed like moments had passed when the twins were signaling to me frantically from the bottom of the podium. From a distance, Mori looked over at me curiously as I scrambled down and put away my cello and the second-shift cellist took my place, but I didn't even have a chance to look back. I bounded down to join the twins, who were wearing a look of delightful urgency.

"It's already the end of my shift?" I hissed, following them down the hallway to where they had apparently set up a changing room. I had been shattered from my lullaby daze, and now I struggled to even walk straight.

"It was ages_, _America," said the twins. "The first half of the dance is always boring."

Once behind the curtain, I grew frantic, lost in folds of gauze and glitter. After finally assembling the mess, I shuffled the skirt of my gown side to side, thinking of the colorful dancing flowers in the grand hall.

"Those were _dancers_," I murmured to myself. "Oh god. Can I dance?" I shouted to the twins, my voice cracking.

"Yes, you can," said the twins. "You took lessons all last week."

"Oh," I said, breath shuddering. "Well, good lot of help that was, because I think I've totally forgotten."

"No, you haven't," said Kaoru as I emerged reluctantly from the curtain. "It'll all come back to you on the dance floor…" his voice trailed off. They both smiled.

"Oh, America," said Hikaru. "This is _perfect._"

"YOU'RE perfect," added Kaoru.

"Please don't," I said, grimacing. My vision was starting to blur. I put my hand on the wall. "I don't think I can do this, guys."

The twins crept closer, taking my hands and each patting them gently.

"Don't be nervous. You were just up on a podium performing in front of all those fools," said Kaoru. I was alarmed by the sincerity painting his face. "This should be a snap."

"You look beautiful," said Hikaru. "If anything, everyone else should be scared."

I squeezed their hands thankfully. Then the mischief came back.

"Mori will jump out of his suit when he sees you," the twins giggled. I shoved them.

As they dragged me back to the grand hall, Hikaru added, "Now remember. Don't approach him too soon or too fast. Let Hunny do all the work. And go for the garden."

"Hunny knows?" I whined, adjusting my gown one last time.

"Hunny has always known," the twins replied cryptically. I was too lightheaded to question further.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Since I refused to enter the ballroom by myself, the twins once again took their positions arm in arm on either side of me. I could hear the lilting music on the other side of the door.

"Deep breaths," said Kaoru.

I tried to breathe.

"Remember, you look great," said Hikaru. "You're the Ouran Host Club Hostess."

"And we all match," they added cheerfully, opening the doors to the grand hall and leading me forward. The modest heels under my gown felt like skyscrapers.

At first, a few heads turned, and then almost all of them did. Even a few of the dancers hesitated for a moment to look at our trio.

"Just look forward," said the twins, tightening their grip on my arm. "And smile."

I couldn't seem to control my face muscles, locked in an expression of panic. I could hear speculating voices as I passed by the punch bowl communions, and scanned desperately for another friendly face.

"Arriving at the latter half of the dance. How effective."

I heard Kyoya at our side. We turned to face him, and I curtsied gently.

"And your gown is effective," Kyoya added.

"Thanks?" I gulped.

"A bit nervous, are we?" said Kyoya, grinning.

"She's fine," said Hikaru, grabbing my hand as Kaoru broke from my arm.

"You're going to dance with Hikaru first," he told me.

"What, I'm not going to dance with both of you at once?" I joked.

"There were are," said Hikaru, smiling and putting his hand on my waist. "Keep up the humor. We gotta get rid of your jitters."

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Now listen to the music," said Hikaru.

I listened. The waltz was slow and deliberate, and I swayed side to side slightly.

"Good. Now…go!" He whisked my weight around before I could even hesitate and the next thing I knew we were gently riding the waves of the waltz, my footsteps a bit shaky but carried fluidly by Hikaru's lead.

"Oh," I said, letting out a sigh of relief. "I guess I do remember how to dance."

"Now just enjoy yourself," said Hikaru. His golden eyes glinted in the chandelier glow.

I smiled. This wasn't bad. At least for now.

Just as my fingers flowed over the strings on the cello, so did my feet as the dancing continued. Hikaru made pleasant conversation and soon handed me off to Kaoru for the next song.

"Glad to see you've found your feet," said Kaoru.

I laughed, gliding into the dance. "Wow, you guys dance exactly the same," I told him. "Creepy."

"Not true," said Kaoru. "I'm a better dancer." His eyes shifted past me.

I turned to look as we twirled around. Mori was watching intently from the wall, absentmindedly replying to Hunny, who was tugging at his coat tails and addressing him eagerly.

"Game time," said Kaoru, breaking from the dance and taking me in the opposite direction.

I looked over my shoulder. "What is Hunny saying?"

"Oh, you know. Things," said Kaoru. This didn't make me feel better.

He led me over to the punch bowls, where Haruhi stood sipping a glass.

"Hunny is going to come over here soon. Just chill with Haruhi and keep it cool, America," said Kaoru.

Haruhi smiled warmly. "Ivy-san, you look great!"

"Yes, she does," agreed Kaoru. He turned to me. "This is where I leave you. Good luck."

Haruhi's eyes narrowed as he left. "What is he up to?" she asked.

"I wish I knew," I told her. "I feel like I'm performing in a play and I don't even know how it ends…"

"At least you're playing the princess," said Haruhi, glancing at a pod of girls that were watching her from behind a punch bowl.

"You _are_ very handsome," I told her, giggling.

"Yeah, for a girl," grumbled Haruhi, ruffling the back of her hair. "You should've seen me when Tamaki had me all done up in this pink frilly gown…"

"I can't imagine—" I started.

"Ivy-chan!" I turned to see Hunny beaming up at me.

Despite my sudden seizure of nerves, I managed to smile back. "Hi, Hunny-senpai," I replied.

"Wow, you're beautiful!" said Hunny, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the dance floor. "Dance with me!"

I had to lean forward significantly to hold onto Hunny's little hands as he twirled me around, void of rhythm or care. I couldn't help but laugh at his childish antics. However, I searched his face for any trace of scheming looks that were always so evident with the twins when they were plotting. To my curiosity—and uneasiness—no such looks were present. Only simple joy…at least on the surface.

"Have you danced with anyone yet, Ivy-chan?" asked Hunny.

"No," I said warily. "Only you and the twins."

"That's nice. Takashi wanted to dance with you, but I told him I had to first!"

"Wh-what?" I said, steps faltering.

"Yeah, the littlest one always dances first!" Hunny said cheerfully. "But now Taka-chan can!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me off the floor.

We approached Mori, who was leaning against a pillar and wearing an especially cryptic expression. As he looked me over, his eyes flashed for a second, but the returned to normal.

He nodded, smiling. "Good evening, Ivy-kun."

"Ivy looks like a princess, doesn't she?" said Hunny, offering my hand to Mori. I tried to keep it from shaking as Mori gently took it.

"Yeah," he replied, eyes fixed on me. "Thank you, Mitsukuni. May I have this dance?" he asked me.

I nodded dumbly, marveling at the sensation of his hand in mine.

As we walked to the floor, Mori leaned in slightly. "You look very nice," he said quietly.

I stumbled, and Mori's hand caught my waist.

"Careful," he said, turning me towards him for the dance.

My steps were shaky, and I found myself apologizing repeatedly. Mori maneuvered gracefully, leading me when I faltered, but somehow I couldn't get my act together.

"I seem to be thinking too much about my feet," I told him nervously.

"Then don't," Mori replied, grinning slightly. "Focus on the music."

I tried to tune in to the waltz, but the strings sounded hazy and muffled in Mori's presence. I stepped on his foot, and looked at him ruefully, hoping I could find some miracle to fix my feet.

"You look very handsome," I told him, the words coming out as a faint croak in my panic.

"Sorry?" said Mori.

I looked down, unable to reply. My dancing was a disaster. I felt myself giving up, embarrassment reddening my cheeks. My hands loosened in his, assuming defeat.

"Ivy-kun."

I felt Mori's hands tighten their grasp on mine, holding me secure.

I looked up, heart pounding.

"It's ok," he told me, waltzing towards the edge of the floor.

"Wh-where are we going?" I asked.

"Garden," said Mori, looking out to the lights and flowers outside.

I looked back behind me, where the twins were crouching behind a giant ice sculpture of Tamaki. They flashed a thumbs up, and I gave them a panicked look before disappearing out the door.

Once we were outside, our dance dwindled to a walk, the nighttime breeze surprisingly warm in the middle of a winter's night. The fountain-misty air was so familiar, and filled my nose and mouth with it, coating myself in a layer of calm. I let out a sigh, the jitters dislodging slightly from my chest.

"Better?" asked Mori, leading me to a bench by a giant light encrusted fountain.

"Yes," I replied, gently sitting down next to him and arranging my skirts. I marveled at the blues and greens in the fabric as illuminated by the watery lights. "I'm so sorry. I was dancing just fine earlier…"

"It's ok," Mori repeated, staring off into the stars. "We can't stay out here too long. I need to make sure Mitsukuni doesn't eat all the guest's sweets."

"That's fine," I replied. "Besides, I think we're making a scene."

We both awkwardly regarded the small crowd pressing their faces up against the glass windows, centered around the twins.

I gave them a dirty look, urging them to shoo with a flick of my wrist.

"Don't worry about them," advised Mori, shaking his head slightly.

I turned to him, trying to ignore the crowd. I examined the silver flower on my waist intently.

"You tried to say something earlier?" Mori asked.

"Oh," I said, blushing. "I was complimenting your suit. You look very handsome, Mori-senpai."

"Thank you," he said, raising an eyebrow but saying nothing further. A few moments of silence shimmered in the fairy lights.

"It's so nice to be back in a garden," I finally said, smiling.

"Are there gardens at the Hitachiin estate?" Mori asked.

"Well, yeah," I said, face getting redder. "I guess…I mean…being in the gardens and talking." I gulped. "With you."

Mori paused for a moment before responding. "I agree."

"Thank you for rescuing me from that crowd," I offered. "This is all so terrifying…"

"As long as you're feeling better," said Mori. He hesitated before speaking again. "I hope I don't terrify you."

"Only a little," I fibbed, grinning. I chuckled as his face spread into a wide grin.

"Only a little?" he prompted.

"Well…you're less terrifying than you used to be," I admitted. "Less of an enigma. Though I still don't know everything."

Mori laughed quietly, dark eyes meeting mine. "Nobody knows everything."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mori led me back to the ballroom, giving me his arm. As we entered the girls chattered and a buzz rose by the punch bowls, but for once, I barely noticed. Moments before, Mori had offered me the blue rose pinned to his suit, and I had attached it next to the silver flower on my gown with trembling fingers. Now all sounds were a faint and flowy hum, and I could barely tell where we were walking to.

"Takashi!" I heard Hunny call. "We're out of cake!"

Mori gently removed my hand from his arm, taking it and bowing gracefully. "If you'll excuse me," he rumbled.

I stood numbly, unmoving, unable to stop smiling.

Suddenly, Tamaki appeared in front of me. He examined my waist with shocked delight. "Is that a _rose?_"

"Huh?" I said.

The twins sauntered up, excitement lighting their faces. "You got Mori's rose?" they asked urgently.

"Huh?" I repeated. "Oh! Yes."

The twins skipped around me, chanting. "Ivy got a rose! Ivy got a rose!"

"This is a big deal, Ivy-kun," said Tamaki. "You're Mori's choice for the evening."

"His…choice?" I asked, slowly fading from the numbing euphoria. I could feel myself shaking again.

"At the end of the evening, the club picks a queen," said Tamaki. "But before that, each host is also required to give his rose to a deserving lady he has danced with."

"I can't remember the last time Mori chose a girl…" Kaoru added.

"This means you get to dance in the Choice Waltz," said Hikaru.

"Basically, absolute success!" they agreed, raising my fist in victory. I laughed.

A little while later, Mori returned to rescue me from the gushing twins.

"You don't have to dance," he told me as he led me to the front of the ballroom. "If you don't want."

I shook my head, grinning. "I think I'll be ok this time."

"And now, everyone—before we declare our queen for this evening…the Host Club Choices Waltz!" announced Kyoya.

"Each of us has chosen a lovely guest from the crowd to take our rose and hand in a dance!" said Tamaki, walking up with an ecstatic, beaming girl on his arm. The hosts assembled, each leading a girl to the dance floor and presenting them.

Mori took me forward, nodding to the crowd. "Miss Ivy Edwards," he announced. There was a babble-filled applause. The rest of the hosts presented their choices as well.

The twins walked up alone, Kaoru on Hikaru's arm. "We are each other's choice!" they declared, much to the laughter of the hosts and the crowd.

This time, my feet had no trouble staying in time with the music. Heck, I didn't even know if I still had feet. All I could focus on was Mori's voice and the sound of the music behind it.

"You're much better this time," Mori told me, spinning me around.

"I told you I could dance," I said, laughing. I was drunk on giddiness, the golden lights and lilting strings clouding my mind in a shimmery fearless haze.

"I believed you," Mori said. "…even when you stepped on me."

"That must have taken a lot of faith," I joked.

Mori chuckled softly but said nothing more.

Afterwards, the queen was chosen: a blushing first-year girl in a light pink gown. The last dances were danced, Mori requesting my hand each time and even bringing me punch, which we sipped silently while observing the other dancers.

He wished me a soft good night as I slipped into the limo, bowing once again. The twins chattered frantically the entire way home, trying to engage me in gossip and details, but I could barely hear them. I quietly hummed my favorite waltz under my breath, and fiddled with the blue rose until it came loose from my gown. I cupped it in my palm like a jewel, and smiled.

The twins woke me up late next morning with the ringing of the cell phone next to my bed.

"Hello?" I said groggily.

"Get up loser, it's almost 2pm!" said Kaoru.

"Why?" I sighed. "I'm tired."

"Host Club dinner tonight," said Kaoru. "After every dance we have one the next night, just for us."

I grumbled unintelligibly, hanging up the phone. Within minutes I could hear the banging of the twins bursting into the guest house, and frantic footsteps pounded up the stairs.

"If you jump on my bed or even come in here I'll kill you," I yelled. "Go back downstairs. I gotta get ready."

Tentative, fading thumping followed. I scurried from my bed to the shower, where hazy melodies of waltzes still glowed in the fog. I thought of the gardens and the blue flower and Mori's hand in mine and my heart started pounding yet again. I was looking forward to tonight, absent from the huge crowds and terrifying heels.

When I came down the stairs, I heard the twins avidly discussing last night's finer points.

"So someone _did_ spike the punch. I knew it."

"No wonder everyone was in such a good mood. And there were even a couple girls falling over!"

"Those were the ones who hung around the punch bowls all evening and didn't dance with anyone. Serves 'em right."

I raised my eyebrows. Perhaps it wasn't just the giddiness I had been drunk on. I found myself glad I had only had a couple of glasses.

The twins held up a hanger; they had already picked a dress for tonight. The party frock was simple and fitted on the top, with a light and flowy skirt and a thin belt that sat along the smallest part of my waist.

"AND it's blue," they pointed out, waggling their eyebrows. "ROYAL blue."

As the evening approached, I slipped on the dress, choosing golden flats (thank goodness, no heels) and tiny golden rose earrings. I glanced at the blue rose on my dresser and took a deep breath. Last evening seemed like a dream…who knew what dinner with the host club would be like. Especially without the aid of special punch.

We piled into the limo and drove to the Ootori household, an extremely modern mansion up on a hill several miles away. The twins briefed me quickly, telling me that tonight was "follow-up night," whatever that meant.

"Last night Mori chose you," they reminded me. "Now we've gotta work on proving to him it wasn't just the punch doing the talking."

"The punch said nothing," I retorted, embarrassed. "He drank some too."

At the door, Kyoya greeted us with his usual shrewd smile and curt welcome.

"Miss Ivy, twins," he nodded. "Please come in."

I admired the pale, modest colors and oddly shaped furniture as we walked into the entrance hall. The household was spacious and incredibly clean, with piano playing drifting pleasantly from another room.

"Tamaki-senpai is here!" I observed.

"Yes, he arrived early," Kyoya told us. Then, much more bitterly: "_Three hours early._"

The doorbell promptly rang. We all greeted Haruhi as she came inside. It was always nice to see her in actual girl's clothes, and the little green dress suited her slim figure. I started to tell her this, but Tamaki beat me to it, tackling her with a hug.

"Haruhi, you look so CUTE!" he gushed. "Your dress is adorable!"

"Tamaki-senpai, you're the one who picked it out," Haruhi grumbled, prying herself from him.

"I know!" he said proudly. "Daddy is looking after his little girl."

"Daddy," I murmured, shaking my head. "He's so self-oblivious it's actually kind of sad."

"Tell me about it," grumbled the twins.

Finally, Mori and Hunny arrived, Hunny toting a basket full of cupcakes and Mori carrying a platter of cookies.

"We brought sweets!" Hunny exclaimed. "Just in case we need extra."

"I'm sure our chef will be thrilled," said Kyoya dryly. "The 15 flavor cheesecake spread _clearly_ wouldn't have been enough."

"Of course!" said Hunny, not catching Kyoya's sarcasm, or at least pretending not to.

We all filtered into the dining room, Mori walking at my side after a gentle nod hello. He offered me my chair at the table, sitting down beside me, and I gave him a meek thank you.

I took another deep breath. _Dinner with the host club. Here we go._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"So. Ivy-kun. I see that you were chosen by Mori-senpai as a host last evening. How exciting." Kyoya offered me a plate of some strange Japanese dish as he spoke.

"Oh! Yes! It was very nice," I said, eyeing the dish warily. I whispered to Mori: "_How do I eat this?_"

Mori grinned. "However you want."

"Although I'm not quite satisfied with the twin's decision to decline choosing 2 girls for the dance…" Kyoya added.

The twins shrugged. "The crowd liked it," they snapped.

"The only thing the crowd likes is the 'brotherly love,'" Haruhi grumbled. "They were just playing for more attention."

"Of course!" the twins gasped, pretending to be offended. "How could you possibly think otherwise?"

"Did we solve the mystery of the punch incident?" asked Tamaki.

"Yes," said Kyoya. "My sources informed me that is was Renge."

"Oh lord, not her again," Haruhi complained. "She gets far too much enjoyment out of messing with our lives."

"She was probably just trying to spike—I mean spice up the evening," said Kaoru.

"And she succeeded," added Hikaru, grinning at me. I looked down quickly. I could feel Mori's eyes evaluating the exchange.

"What does spike mean?" said Hunny, who had decided to eat cupcakes for dinner instead of the regular entrees.

"It means adding extra fun to something," chuckled Hikaru. I elbowed him in the ribs.

"Well…then I think Ivy-chan spiked the winter gala!" deduced Hunny proudly.

The twins cackled.

"I think you're a little mixed up," said Haruhi, glaring at the twins. "But never mind that. What's our next big event?"

"Nothing for a while at least. We have to let the dust settle," said Kyoya.

"Nonsense! We must keep the ball rolling," declared Tamaki, slamming his fist urgently on the table. I jumped, and heard Mori chuckle softly.

"I say next we have a garden party, as soon as it's warm enough to host outdoors!" Tamaki continued. "With tea and flowers and…oh, it would be so perfect! We shall welcome the spring romance as it blossoms!"

"Spring isn't for a while," Haruhi muttered.

"DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE," Tamaki retorted.

"A garden party," mulled Kyoya, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'll see what I can do."

With everyone wrapped up in planning, I attempted to take a bite of the strange dumpling-shaped object that had been placed on my plate. After succeeding in fitting the whole thing in my mouth, I heard the twins giggling. Then, much louder, they asked me a deliberately ill-placed question.

"SO, America, what was it like getting to dance with Mori-senpai?"

I almost choked on the food, then found myself frantically chewing to speak and reduce the unattractive bulging of my cheeks. The seconds seemed to pass like hours. The silence of the table crackled with the snickering of the twins, who were succeeding in embarrassing me in front of everyone.

Then, Mori came to my rescue. "She was nice to dance with," he announced. "At least from my point of view."

"Did she step on your toes again?" Hunny asked.

"No," said Mori. "That was my fault anyway."

I cocked my head, staring up at him appreciatively. Food finally swallowed, I added, "Mori was a great dancer. The foot-stepping was a simple error on both sides."

Mori nodded.

"I see," said Kyoya, looking at us appraisingly. "Well. It would have been more favorable for Mori-senpai to choose a girl outside of the host club for the dance, but I suppose it worked out. The crowds seemed very interested by it."

"Not just the crowds were interested," purred the twins.

I flashed a look at them, desperate to change the topic. "So a garden party, huh?"

"Yes! We didn't technically have the area open at the gala, but when you and Mori-senpai went out there the girls seemed to love the idea of a gathering in the garden," said Tamaki. "I think something in the evening would be nice. We could set up lights and bring in extra fountains to fill the air with sweet watery sounds!"

"That sounds lovely," I agreed.

"Fine then, it's settled. As soon as the weather improves, we shall host an evening party in the garden," said Kyoya. "Leave the rest up to me."

"Oh, wonderful, amazing Kyoya, what could I do without you?" Tamaki gushed, leaning over to nuzzle the unreceptive Kyoya affectionately.

"_You're_ the president," said Kyoya, enduring the nuzzling with stoic tolerance. "It was your idea."

After we finished dinner, everyone went into the parlor for dessert and coffee. I was intently inspecting a strange abstract sculpture mounted on one of the walls when Haruhi approached me.

"Ivy-san, do you mind if I speak to you for a moment?" she asked. "In private."

"Oh. Of course," I said, flustered. The twins looked over at me quizzically. I shrugged.

Haruhi took me to the room down the hall, where the piano sat, unoccupied. I took a seat on the bench and nervously wondered what Haruhi could possibly have to say. She sat down next to me.

"So…what's up?" I asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all," Haruhi replied, with a guarded smile. "At least, not yet."

"Not yet?" I repeated.

"Mhm. Ivy-san, I need to tell you something about Mori-senpai."

"What's that?" My thoughts started racing. _What if he has a secret girlfriend? What if he and Haruhi have a thing? Or what if he's terminally ill of some strange disease and I'm the only one who doesn't know—_

"Ivy," Haruhi repeated, snapping her fingers and bringing me out of my frantic deductions. "Calm down. It's just something to consider. Nothing to be too worried about."

"Ok," I said, taking a few breaths. "So what is it?"

"A while back, I was walking through the halls when I heard a girl talking to Mori-senpai. She was one of the guests from the host club, I think. She confessed her feelings for him and asked him if he felt the same way…and the whole time Mori just stood there and didn't say anything at all. She just assumed he had feelings for someone else and left, pretty upset. Still he just stood there…"

"Oh…" I murmured.

"Then, a while after, she came up to him again, and sort of figured out that Mori cares about Hunny over everything else," explained Haruhi. "And then she freaked out over how cute that was….but that's beside the point."

I didn't say anything for a moment. Then, "Well, it is pretty obvious that Hunny is number one in his book." I smiled.

"Well good, at least you know that," said Haruhi. "But Ivy-san, I'm just telling you…try to be careful. It seems like you like him, and he seems to like you more than he usually takes an interest to girls…but you never know. I just don't want you to get hurt." She added a good-natured smile. "I don't usually get involved in these things, so sorry if this seems prying…"

"No! Not at all!" I told her, smiling back, albeit nervously. I thought carefully. "I do…_like _Mori-senpai," I resolved, the words sounding strange out loud. "But I don't think I'd try to one-up Hunny, or even be able to. Or even want to. I just like being around Mori-senpai, and if that's all there is to it, then that's ok. I'm not asking for anything in return." I looked up sheepishly, wondering if I had been rambling.

Haruhi chuckled. "Well then, good. I mean, you _do_ have an advantage to most. You're in the club, and you've got a good head on your shoulders. Maybe that's why Mori is taking a liking to you."

"I don't know about the good head," I laughed. "But maybe. Thank you, Haruhi. I will be careful."

Haruhi put a hand on my shoulder. "You have my support," she told me. "And, somehow, the convoluted support of the twins."

luted support of the twins."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When Haruhi and I came back to the drawing room, the twins were engaged in a vicious card game with Tamaki, who was loudly protesting their jeers at calling him a cheat. Kyoya was absent—apparently attending to some family business. And Hunny and Mori were in the corner, Hunny endeavoring to fill out a crossword puzzle with the help of Mori's prompting.

Haruhi joined in the card game in an attempt to settle (or at least observe) the dispute. I pulled up a chair next to Mori, peering over his shoulder with surprise.

"This is in English," I marveled. "I can't imagine trying to do a crossword puzzle in Japanese."

Hunny laughed. "It's good practice! Right, Takashi?"

"Yeah."

I turned to Mori. "Mori-senpai, do you struggle with vocabulary?"

Mori paused for a moment. "No. Not really."

It didn't take long for Hunny to grow bored and leave our company in the pursuit of Kyoya, and subsequently, the prospects of more cake.

Mori asked, "How are you feeling?"

I blushed. "I'm assuming you're referring to the special punch."

He bowed his head, perhaps trying to hide amusement. "I was the one who brought you a glass. I'm sorry."

_Oh, not amusement,_ I thought, alarmed at the somber sincerity in his voice. "Oh! Please don't be sorry," I urged him. "It wasn't your fault. It's not like I could have been injured by it or anything. Especially with you there."

Still he didn't look up.

"Mori-senpai," I said. "It's really ok. If anything, I had a bit more fun that originally planned," I added with a laugh. When he still didn't react, I touched his arm gently. "Please don't feel bad."

Finally, he responded to my touch, looking at my hand and then up at me. "Very well," he said quietly. "If you're ok."

"Good, you guys kissed and made up." I heard the twins behind me and rolled my eyes, withdrawing my hand from Mori's arm.

"EXCEPT they didn't do the first part!" they snickered, retreating before I could lash out. When I turned back, Mori was busying himself with the crossword puzzle as if he hadn't heard a thing.

The next week, Tamaki informed us that he had planned a trip for the coming Friday: a farmer's market that was being held a couple of minutes from Haruhi's apartment.

"This is a chance for fresh air and commoner culture, gentlemen!" he declared as we piled into a single limo that Friday afternoon.

I was particularly vexed when we reached the market and the fresh air was especially chilly, mostly because my change of "commoner's clothes" consisted of a loose T shirt and jean shorts.

"_Really?_" I said, directing my annoyance at the twins and shivering. "You guys wouldn't stop going on about how swelteringly hot the weather was going to be today."

"Oh? I don't recall," said the twins innocently, both of which were wearing button-up fleecy shirts and jeans.

"Here."

I felt a flannel weight on my shoulders as an incredibly long jacket fluttered down and brushed against my legs. Mori stood behind me, in a grey sweater, his hands on my shoulders.

"You can wear that," he told me, then walked past to catch up with the others.

Hikaru lagged behind a moment with a chuckle. "And you act like we don't take care of you," he teased.

I couldn't help but smile. I pulled the almost dress-length coat around me and jogged to catch up with Mori and Hunny.

"Warm enough?" asked Mori as we examined the peculiar produce at each booth down the avenue.

"Of course," I told him. "Thank you."

"Honey! _Look,_ it's honey!" Hunny called, holding up a tiny jar at another booth. I giggled at the joke, and we walked over to join him.

"Free sample?" said the honey vendor, presenting tiny globs of honey on wooden sticks.

"What are samples?" said the twins, reaching over my head to grab the sticks.

"Commoner handouts, with a motive to increase the shopper's interest in the product," said Kyoya, who was avidly taking notes. "Much like when I preview our select collections of china prior to purchasing tea sets in bulk."

"You guys honestly don't know what samples are?" said Haruhi, taking a stick.

"Yeah, come on, men!" exclaimed Tamaki, glaring at the twins. "Be more sensitive to commoner culture!"

"I don't think you're helping," Haruhi grumbled. "You keep using that word."

"Don't feel bad, Haruhi," said Kaoru. "At least commoners own dwellings, be them large or small. America here doesn't even live in her own abode, forced to live off the fruits of another's land."

The twins then pointed at me, beaming smugly. "That makes her a peasant!" they announced. I glared at them.

Kyoya laughed softly. "I suppose you're right."

I took a honey stick, attempting to ignore their laughter. "Wow," I exclaimed. "This is _really_ good!"

"It's local," said the vendor. "Hand-harvested."

"Huh," I replied. _I would buy some,_ I thought, _if only I hadn't already spent my aunt's allowance on that rosin for my bow…_

We continued onward, trying this and that, pausing to watch some local street musicians who gave Hunny a pair of shakers and Tamaki a pair of mallets for a go on their marimba. Haruhi educated the twins and Kyoya on "commoner culture," and Mori watched to make sure Hunny didn't wander off with the nice man's shakers.

At one point, while I munched on the homemade dumplings Tamaki had bought for the group, I saw Mori back over by the honey stand. He returned and sat down by me, wordlessly presenting a tiny jar filled with the dark amber goodness.

"Oh, you didn't have to…" I started, trailing off as Mori closed my hand around it.

"To make up for the punch," he rumbled, grinning slightly.

"Th-thank you," I replied, examining the honey. I pulled his coat around me and smiled.

As the twins and I took our own limo back to the house, they made further plans to "take care of me."

"Maybe next time we'll tell her we're going to a nudist beach," schemed Kaoru. "Then she'll show up with no clothes at all."

"And then Mori will have to take off all HIS clothes to cover her from the cold!" snickered Hikaru. "The perfect plan."

"You guys are gross," I snapped, suppressing a giggle.

"Wait, we have to involved the honey somehow…" said Kaoru. "I'm sure we can think of some _creative_ways."

"Which 'Hunny' do you mean?" added Hikaru, with a laugh.

I gave them a much deserved smack, quickly concealing the little honey jar cupped in my palms.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Lately, business at the host club had been booming. The girls buzzed with excited chatter after the Winter Gala and the subsequent drama of the spiked punch. Guests who usually visited came more often, and then gushed to their friends, who began to join as well. Requests increased for almost everyone, especially Tamaki and Haruhi.

As a result, more cakes and sweets were ordered and my duties on tea and china care were extended farther into the evening than ever before. Hunny, however, still demanded cake time, though I asked him to allow me to work slightly longer before joining him for the interest of time.

Everything was as it should be. Though Hunny would devote a few minutes or so to my attention, he spent the rest of the time being fawned over by his increased clientele, many of which were new and offered fresh delight in his antics. In that stretch of time, Mori (who usually had slightly less clients than the rest of the hosts) would turn his unwavering eye to me, and we were fit to do whatever the day would offer—be it quiet reflection in our tea or animated conversation (on my part) and patient, attentive listening (on Mori's part).

The best part, I had decided, was that the meditative silence allowed me time to choose my words wisely and gather my thoughts into stimulating conversation, instead of panicking and stammering as I usually did with others. Eventually Mori even commented on this, telling me simply that I chose my words well, before settling back in to listen more.

Conversation between us became an art in its own way, a sort of song with rhythm and space in speech. I delighted in it; it was quite unlike anyone else I talked to at school. Haruhi was usually thoughtful but blunt, Tamaki completely dominated all topics with his own, and talking to the twins felt like watching a confusing game of ping pong while trying to interfere from the sidelines and getting confused because the two players look exactly the same and equally attractive. And, of course, Hunny was Hunny.

The more I grew comfortable expressing my thoughts to Mori, the more he would respond, but always after a pause of consideration. We discussed books (as we found we had read many of the same ones), travel (which I could always provide a multitude of stories for) and I even got him to tell me more about kendo and his study of the martial arts with Hunny. I looked forward to our cake time more and more as each day passed leaving a grin on my face and a glint in his eye. My long-neglected notebook filled with thoughts and stories I wanted to remember to share with Mori later.

The twins looked onward on this with much excitement and fascination, stating it was the best thing to happen since Haruhi joined the club.

"I'm surprised Kyoya is letting you guys talk so much around everyone," commented Kaoru one day. "Usually he blocks the hosts from actual relationships outside the club."

"But I AM in the club," I reminded them. "And since when were you using the word 'relationship?'"

They ignored my question.

" That's not why he'd let it slide," said Hikaru. "Something is going on in that head of his." I tried to trust their judgment, as Kyoya was still a complete mystery to me.

Of course, the twins trying to "help" in their own way involved a significant level of mischief. When we all went on an outing to the Ootori's private water park, they took full advantage of the myriad of opportunities to "help," or rather, embarrass me. This included asking Mori's opinion on a myriad of skimpy, ridiculous swimsuits and bikinis they brought from home (thought I had already chosen my own), loudly announcing my arrival to the wave pool once I had changed, and nonchalantly pushing me into the current pool before declaring that I couldn't swim (untrue). Of course it wasn't until Mori had dove in and hoisted me to shore that I was able to tell him this. Upon my explanation of my perfectly proficient swimming skills, Mori turned to the twins and shot them a look equal parts exasperation and perplexion. But never once did he comment on their antics to me or anyone nearby, simply accepting my apologies and maintaining a curious, watchful eye on me the rest of the day.

Tamaki announced that evening that our garden party would be held the night before the string recital: two weeks from now. I smiled at Mori upon the news, for we had been chatting recently about the prospects of the party and a chance to take another evening stroll for old time sake. He returned my smile slightly, then his gaze turned nervously and I watched where it followed. Kyoya was eyeing us both, but gave away no ounce of good will or hostility. I looked away quickly, pretending I hadn't noticed anything, but I could feel Kyoya's gaze shift to me, and I toyed with my food nervously.

The next day, everything was different.

First, Mori didn't show up to the host club that afternoon. I was still called over for cake time, but sat there awkwardly, uncomfortable with the empty space where my tall friend usually sat. I ate my cake uncommonly fast and excused myself early, a dark feeling creeping into my chest.

That evening I stayed later to practice and saw Mori leaving the gym from the music room window—he hadn't waited for me to come down the stairs or for my limo to come.

"He must just been in a hurry," I told myself quietly. "Nothing to make a fuss about."

The day after that, Mori was present at the host club, but presently left when I came over for cake time, before I could even say a word. I asked Hunny if everything was alright, and Hunny replied that Mori had told him he had business to deal with at home, and promptly returned to his party of girls.

Mori stayed for my arrival at the couch only one day the entire week, otherwise being absent or leaving before I could say anything. When I tried to ask him of his day or tell him about the book I had been reading recently, he replied with such short and bitter curtness that I was alarmed into silence, the kind that crackled with misunderstanding and fear and guilt. I saw his hand digging into his own knee and gripped my teacup fearfully, wondering what I could have done to cause this reaction. I was too terrified to venture any further questions or comments the rest of the time.

After the host club that day, I approached Haruhi on the verge of tears. The twins, upon hearing a poorly-concealed sob, hustled over to me as well, comforting me with the odd sincerity that always arose in especially serious situations.

"I just d-don't get it," I confessed, furiously wiping my eyes. "He was my friend…what did I do to make him be like this?"

"Ivy-san, I'm so sorry," Haruhi told me, handing me her handkerchief. "It might not be you. Maybe he is dealing with family stuff. Or maybe it just got too close. You remember the story I told you about that girl who confessed her love to him…"

"All we did is talk," I sniffed. "That's all I really needed…"

"Ah, but that's just you," said the twins cryptically.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered.

"He's never talked to anyone as much as you," said Hikaru gently. "No matter what he's doing right now, just remember you're obviously special to him."

"Something must be up," said Kaoru. "For him to be doing this. I mean, he's turned down girls before, but usually it's right away, not after chatting with them for months…"

To try to get my mind off of Mori's absence, I practiced with increased time and alacrity for the string recital coming up—choosing an extra piece to challenge myself before the dress rehearsal at the end of the week. I no longer expected Mori's face at the bottom of the staircase when I left, and made a point of not looking at the gardens on the limo drive home. But still my head burned with unanswered questions, and I wondered what could cause so sudden a change in someone so decidedly pleasant and kind. I wrote and wrote away in my notebook but nothing made sense without his voice to explain and his eyes to guide my judgment of it all. It was terrifying how much I felt his absence. By Friday I was a quietly hidden nervous wreck, fussing my way all through the dress rehearsal in the morning before bitterly preparing for the garden party that evening.

I barely glanced at the outfit the twins had placed on my bed, pulling on the minty-green dress and whatever colored flats with numbness in my chest. All excitement I had felt for the event had been drained. The twins had to remind me to add jewelry before we left the house, where they made significantly less jokes than usual and simply stared at me warily the entire way there.

Tamaki greeted us with a careful air of cheer as we walked down the path to the setup, and I wondered if Haruhi had mentioned something to him about my breakdown a few days earlier. I barely glanced at the ensemble of lights and fountains as we entered the main gazebo, though I had been integral in their decoration only a few weeks earlier.

"Ivy-san, darling, do we have a surprise for you! And good, your dress matches our roses beautifully. Can you guess what I have arranged?"

I shrugged. "What?"

"Tonight, my dear, you will be an honorary events host! No tea carts or cakes for you." He gestured to the cart grandly, where a hired waiter waved meekly.

"What does that mean?" asked the twins.

"Well, Haruhi told me you've been a bit down this past week, so I got Kyoya's approval and thought I could liven things up. It's simply following suit after the Winter Gala, anyway."

"You still haven't explained it, Tamaki-senpai," said Haruhi, coming up from behind him. "Get on with it."

"There is a group of about 7 or so lovely gentlemen from the school who are here to sit down and enjoy an evening of tea and conversation with the equally lovely Ivy-kun!" Tamaki announced.

"What?" I exclaimed, glancing over at a table of nervous high school boys who looked back in hopeful terror. "Tamaki…I don't know how to entertain a group of boys."

"Are you kidding, that's what you've been doing for us all year!" quipped the twins. They failed to dodge my smack. "Ow!"

"It'll be fun, I promise!" Tamaki told me, taking my shoulders and starting to walk me over. "Just let them ask you questions and flash that gorgeous smile."

"You've done it this time, boss!" called out the twins as I was lead to my fate. "Have fun, America," they added evilly, with a cheeky wave and grin.

As I was steered we passed Hunny and Mori, who were already employed with their group of clients. Hunny waved cheerfully as I continued onward, causing Mori to look up and catch my eye for the first time this entire week.

My breath caught in my chest at the glint of anguish so poorly concealed in his eyes, an expression halfway caught in between feigned indifference and apology and conveying neither clearly. I had no time to respond before I was ushered into a chair in front of the eager male clients situated around me, but still felt the sting of his gaze on my back, leaving my mind reeling.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

The boys who had vouched for my accompaniment that night were surprisingly cordial and charming, making me realize that I hadn't really interacted with any other male students for most of my time at the school. I fully engaged myself in an attempt to push the look in Mori's eyes from my mind, and found myself at least chuckling along with the rest of them, though far more weakly at times.

"This is really nice, Ivy-san," one commented candidly. "The girls at Ouran are often so fixated by the host club that we never get a chance to sit down with a pretty girl."

I blushed. "It is nice to talk to some different boys for once," I told them. "From a distance I thought you were all barbarians compared to the host club."

They laughed. "I hope we proved you wrong!" said another boy.

"Of course," I said, smiling. "Though I'm sure Kyoya only allowed the best of the best to be here this evening."

"You bet!" another laughed. "There was a whole line of boys waiting to talk to you, especially after hearing about the winter gala."

"I…I can hardly believe that," I replied, shuffling my dress nervously.

"It's the truth! We had to fill out an application and everything!"

My cheer was greatly improved by their beaming faces, though I couldn't possibly understand why anyone would fill out an application for me, of all girls at Ouran. I knew I was half as pretty, only suited to be a waitress if anything…

"Tell us a story about your travels, Ivy-kun!" demanded a boy.

"What is it like living in America?" said another.

"Is it hard not having a permanent estate to come home to after your trips abroad?"

As I struggled to answer their myriad of questions, I saw the twins a ways behind me with their group of girls. They flashed another thumbs up, pointing to their winning smiles and at me again. I replied with a weak smile. Though this was fun, I couldn't fully clear all the worries from the back of my thoughts. The evening luckily passed faster with the addition of lively company, and though I wasn't 100% engaged I found myself riding the waves of social chatter, honing in on how to make the boys laugh and receive their oftentimes incredibly direct compliments.

"I didn't realize any boys outside of the club even noticed me," I confessed to them.

"Well, you know you're infamous among the girls, right?" said one of them.

"I suppose," I said.

"Well, there you go. There's a buzz around you for sure. 'The only female host.'"

"I'm honestly just an assistant," I told them. "I didn't know I would be sitting down with you all tonight."

They battered away my modestly and doubts with alacrity, causing me to blush profusely and direct the topics towards the boys themselves and pretty much anything but me.

After excusing myself for some punch and a moment to breathe, I paused in one of the gazebos as I saw the twins approaching me. However, instead of yelling out in my usual manner, they waited until they were practically on top of me to whisper in my ear:

"Mori wants to see you after the clients are dismissed. At the blue fountain."

"What?!" I said, pulse quickening. "What could he possibly want to—"

"Ivy-san, just go," they said bluntly, stopping my stream of panic. "We have to get back to our guests. He didn't tell us anything more."

And with that they were gone. Before I let my anxiety spread any further, I hurried back over to my clients, hoping to pass the evening quicker with the help of good company. I walked with several on the garden paths after tea, spotting the blue fountain and noting its location with a deep breath. The boy continued to batter me with questions, many of which I was too perplexed to avoid, and I felt the hours of the evening slipping by with forced ease.

At the end of the evening, I watched with alarm as my clients lined up with their hands behind their back. Then, all at once in a flourish, they each produced a single red rose.

"You may be the hostess," said one. "But we are still the gentlemen."

"Thank you for a wonderful evening!" they chorused.

I couldn't help but smile as I accepted each of their roses and piled them into a small bouquet. Their joyful chatter faded down the path back to the school, and I felt the cheer they had given me following them like the train of a gown and leaving me only with nervous fear and thoughts of Mori at the blue fountain.

I put down the roses with trembling hands, and walked uncharacteristically fast down the path to that clearing, propelled by anxiousness to find out what was going on and a dread that if I walked any slower, I would doubt myself and run the other way. I passed the twins and Haruhi as I sped away, but they didn't petition me with question or protest—heck, I didn't even pause to look at them as I left.

I entered the clearing with the blue fountain with much more caution, attempting to calm myself by staring at the blue ripples of light reflected on the pale green grasses. But my eyes were soon stuck on Mori, who was staring into the fountain, not turning to face me even when my footsteps were clearly audible.

I took a deep breath, but stuttered even so. "W-well? Why did you call me here?"

He didn't answer. The sound of the fountain only amplified his silence.

"You must have something to say," I continued. "Tell me."

Still nothing.

I gripped my hands into fists, trying not to react, but frustration started to rise up inside of me. "Mori-senpai. Say something! I'm here because of you!"

I saw his hand grip the edge of the fountain. His shoulders began to quiver.

My anger grew, the kind of anger that made me uncommonly articulate. "You ignore me all week and now you can just stand here and not say anything? I don't know what's going on! I thought you liked talking to me! I liked talked to you!"

Silence.

I didn't like this. This wasn't me. I took a step forward. My hands were shaking. "If…if you're not going to speak why even bother?!"

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. Because I had never really hated his silence. I knew that. But right now this was different. This silence hurt.

I felt the tears welling up and wiped them away frantically. "I…I just don't understand…" I tried to continue but my breath caught. I refused to let out a sob. My knees were about to buckle, so I braced myself against a pillar and blinked away the tears, staring at the ground.

I didn't see him turn, but looked up as he took a couple of steps my way. His eyes were filled with alarm, and it seemed he was using every ounce of his control not to take another step.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"What did I do to make you like this?" I asked, breath uneven. I refused to meet his eye.

"You didn't do anything," said Mori.

"Then what?"

"It…it was my fault. All of this."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Kyoya approached me," said Mori. "He told me my client count was steadily decreasing, and cited you as the reason why. He said if it continued, you would have to leave the club and no longer be paid to spend time with us, to make up for the losses."

Shocked, I said nothing. The twins had been right.

"He said he would let us…spend time together as long as it didn't affect the host club's revenue. But it did." He paused. "So when Tamaki proposed you hosting the male students, Kyoya told me this would be a good substitute for the time being, and if you raked in enough money, maybe you could stay."

He looked up at me. "Was it successful? Tonight?"

"I…I suppose," I said quietly. "But you could have still said something…"

"I couldn't," said Mori. Now he was looking down. "I didn't want to distract you. I was angry at myself for letting your job be in jeopardy. It means a lot to you...either way, it was my fault."

"So you… ignored me?" I blinked away tears.

"If you didn't want to host tonight…if you were unhappy with that, or found out I was the one who made you have to do this, or have to leave…" Mori trailed off for a moment. He finally looked up. "I couldn't allow myself the…satisfaction of being around you."

"…What?" I said. "You were punishing yourself?" I took a step forward. "Mori…"

"I didn't think…that it would upset you so much. If you were angry with me for losing your job…"

"But I didn't know about that!" I told him. "And I haven't lost my job! I just thought I had done something to offend you, or make you angry."

"Not at all," Mori said softly. "Never."

The fountain burbled. I gathered my thoughts. "The hosting went well tonight," I told him. "So…please don't ignore me anymore? Ok? We won't do cake time, I'll host. We can make up for the losses."

Mori said nothing for a moment. "Ok."

"Unless you want to ignore me," I added.

"I never did." He moved tentatively closer. "Ivy-kun…"

-"Ivy-san!"

Hikaru and Kaoru burst into the clearing, filled with panic. "Come quick."

I broke from Mori's gaze. "What? What is it?"

"Your aunt is here," said Kaoru. "It's your parents."


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

I was ushered into the nearest room of the academy, where my aunt, a smaller, even-tempered woman, was standing with a look of grave urgency. Next to her was Yuzuha, also painted with worry.

My stomach dropped, mind racing. "Aunt Lily?" I croaked. "Wh…what's going on?"

"Ivy dear, I got here as quick as I could," she started. "The private jet was being serviced so I had to go by car—"

"What's going on?" I repeated, voice cracking.

"It's…your mother. She ate something at the village in Ukraine and turns out the whole shipment was contaminated…"

"Is she ok?" I urged.

"That's why I'm here, Ivy," said Aunt Lily gravely. "She isn't doing well. I thought you'd want to hear in person and decide what to—"

"How bad is she doing?" I was starting to feel woozy, but I held my ground, determined to know more. "Is…is she being taken care of, or something?"

"The village doctor is doing what he can," said Aunt Lily. "But in her present condition she's not fit to fly, or move anywhere. I was hoping to send a physician over but as our jet is indisposed I'm awaiting a call from a friend to borrow his."

My legs were shaking, but this time not in anger, just in pure panic. "Oh, god…" I said softly. "Did you find out by post? They don't have service there, do they?"

"Yes…yes it was by post," my aunt said carefully. "I came as soon as I received word—"

"So it's been at least a few weeks since Dad wrote that?" I looked around frantically, as if my belongings were immediately nearby to pack up and go. "We need to get over there. Now."

"Like I said, once I get the call—"

"If you please, Madam."

Mori stepped forward, putting an arm on my shoulder to steady my shaking. I hadn't even realized he had followed the twins and I inside. I turned around to see the rest of the host club behind me, silent in concern.

"My family owns a squad of several jets," Mori told Aunt Lily. "I'm sure we could employ one to leave this afternoon."

I looked up at him in shocked gratitude, then back at my aunt. Before she could speak, Kyoya stepped forwards as well.

"If I could likewise offer some aid, the Ootori household has an emergency physician on hand that would be willing to travel if I reimburse him."

I expected him to follow up with something like, 'and if you pay back the difference later,' but no such words were uttered.

My aunt looked back and forth between the two, just as surprised as I was, if not more. "Very well," she said carefully. "But there is no need for you to reimburse the physician. I can assure both of you I will take care of any expenses to either of your households."

Mori and Kyoya nodded politely. "Very well," said Kyoya.

Aunt Lily turned to me. "Ivy, dear. Is this alright with you?"

I nodded numbly. "How soon can we leave?" Mori's hand was growing warm on my shoulder, but I barely felt it.

"I'm sure it'll only take a couple of hours or so for the Morinozukas to fire up one of their jets," said Kyoya. "Likewise, my physician could meet at the residence in that amount of time."

"Good," I said softly, suddenly afraid to meet anyone's eyes, lest I burst into tears. I felt Mori squeeze my shoulder gently, and breaking from his grasp, I started hurriedly for the limo outside in the drive.

Yuzuha climbed in the limo next to me, along with the twins. The two boys made a couple of attempts to comfort me on the way back, but once again fell into silence, allowing my fears to start to eat away at my chest with greater intensity. This wasn't the first time my mother had been subject to food poisoning. And last time was bad.

"Your aunt left some of your travel things in your room," Yuzuha told me as I climbed the stairs. "Parkas and such. Make sure you don't forget anything…"

I didn't reply.

I hardly remembered the drive to the Morinozuka residence, which sat juxtaposed to the Haninozuka dojo. My several bags were piled into the jet, which I would have normally been fascinated with in its elegance and modernity, but I allowed Mori to usher me inside and into a seat and crumpled into a ball there after several hasty goodbyes from the host club and good lucks from Aunt Lily and Yuzuha. The physician had accommodated himself in a different section of the jet, leaving Mori and I alone.

A few minutes after takeoff, Mori finally spoke. "You should sleep," he told me.

I feebly turned away from the window, where I had been watching, as if the bleak hills of Ukraine and the dots of the tiny village could appear any second. "What?" I said.

"You should sleep," Mori repeated. "It's going to be a long flight."

I didn't reply, not meeting his gaze.

"I know it's hard," he continued cautiously. "We have sleeping tablets if you need to—"

"I think I'm fine," I told him, turning away before he could finish.

An hour or so passed. My thoughts became dizzying, cyclical without the addition of new information. Without realizing it I had begun to cry silently, tears openly flowing down my cheeks without sounds or sobs.

Once again, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Jumping, I turned to see Mori crouched by my side, holding a tiny packet with 2 pills inside. His face grew alarmed at the sight of my tears, and he produced a handkerchief as well, waiting for me to take them both before getting up and mumbling about a glass of water. I watched quietly as he hunched slightly to not touch the ceiling of the jet, and carefully wiped my face while examining the sleeping pills.

Mori returned with the water, which I wordlessly drank with the pills, before he ushered me into a cocoon-like bed compartment near the back of the plane. Once huddled inside, Mori handed me a pillow, forcing a grim smile.

"There. Now you'll be there in no time," Mori told me gently.

Unable to reply, I felt a sort of heaviness take over, pulling away my worried thoughts like water down a drain. The last thing I saw was his face before he closed the curtain. I closed my heavy eyelids and allowed myself to drift into the blackness.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

When the plane landed, I was awakened abruptly by a less-than-smooth touchdown that sent my forehead into the extremely low ceiling of the capsule.

"Ow…" I whimpered, rubbing my head gingerly. I pushed the curtains aside to find Mori approaching me, still painted with stoic concern.

"Here, let me help you," he said, taking my hand as I wiggled out of the blanket. "Sorry about the rough landing."

"It's ok," I mumbled, still woozy. As I collected my belongings and was escorted from the jet by Mori and the physician, the fear and worry I felt began to creep back in with my alertness. I clutched my bags even tighter, staring into the distance anxiously.

"The village is just over this rise," said the physician. "That was a pretty smooth landing considering there was no real runway."

Neither Mori or I replied, Mori simply grunting quietly in affirmation.

The village was small and damp from a recent rainfall, made up of ceramic cottages covered with thatched roofs. Beyond the village was nothing more but wildlife and grass for miles around, with horse-drawn carts dotting the hills. A few of the villagers watched us intently as we continued, but none made attempts to approach us.

_Geez, this really is the middle of nowhere,_ I thought, equal parts fascination for the new country and terror for the remoteness of it. _No wonder Mom couldn't fly out of here._

The dusty inhabitants and tiny structures were so different from the polished, developed atmosphere of Ouran Academy and the surrounding estates that I felt I had traveled in time. I knew that if the rest of the host club was here they would have commented on the state of this "peasant village," but Mori said nothing as we strolled down the main dirt road.

We were stopped by a man claiming to be the town leader, who spoke in limited English to our physician. He led us to the infirmary where my mother was staying while other men took my bags to a nearby hut.

"We will clear it for your stay," he told Mori and I, opening the door to the infirmary. "Only can spare one. So sorry."

"It's fine," I said reassuringly, glancing up at Mori, who nodded in agreement. "Thank you for the help."

Once inside, I spotted my mother on a cot, and ran for her with stumbling steps.

"Mom," I gasped. My father was seated on a stool by her side, and rushed to embrace me. I hit him full force, burying my face into the wool parka on his chest and sobbing softly.

"Ivy," my father said. "This must be a dream. A messenger got here only 5 minutes ago telling me a strange jet landed out in the field. I'm so glad it was you."

I shook my head, releasing myself from his arms. "Aunt Lily just got your letter today. I came as soon as I heard…"

"Well, luckily, nothing has gotten worse since I wrote," said my father. "But alas, not much has improved."

I crouched by my mother's side, taking her hand and squeezing it fervently. She raised her head meekly from the pillow. "Ivy dear," she croaked.

"Hi mom," I cooed. "How are you feeling?"

"Not too great, to be honest," she replied, with a laugh that dissolved into a cough. "But I'm surviving."

I looked to the physician, who was conversing quietly with the town doctor in the corner. "I brought someone to help you, Mom," I told her. "You're going to be just fine, ok?"

"I believe you," my mother said, smiling weakly. "It's already enough of a miracle for you to be here. No big stretch to ask for another." Her eyes trailed past me to the doorway. "Who is this?"

I turned to see Mori, who was standing awkwardly by the door. He took a step forward hesitantly, as if afraid to step into the family bubble.

"This is Takashi Morinozuka," I told my parents. "He's the one who volunteered a jet so I could come here. He's in the host club I told you about."

"Takashi, we are extremely grateful," my father said, reaching out a hand. "I'm Andrew, this is Diana."

"Nice to meet you," said Mori, shaking his hand. "I hope I can be of some assistance."

"You've already helped so much," my mother said, before grimacing and turning away. "I'm sorry, the stomach pains come and go."

My father crouched down and took her hand. "Di, don't strain yourself," he told her.

I turned again to Mori, filled with the gratefulness of my parents. "Really, thank you," I told him, shuffling gawkily. I wanted to hug him, or shake his hand or something, but I couldn't contain my anxiousness.

"Of course," said Mori, before bowing slightly and exiting the room to check on our hut.

I spent the rest of the evening by my mother's side, telling her and my father stories and holding her hand. The physician informed us of her condition and told us that with the help of some antibiotics, she could at least be in the condition to be taken back home.

"I can't tell you much without the ability to send in diagnostic tests," he said cautiously, "but within a few days we will know for sure. And if these medications help, we can take her back with us once her health allows."

We all thanked him fervently, then continued our catching up until my mother's stomach pains subsided enough for her to fall asleep, with the help of some pain pills. Mori hadn't returned, so I assumed he was in the hut. I considered going to check on him, but I didn't want to let go of my mother's hand.

"You should sleep," my father said gently. "I'm sure the jetlag is getting to you."

"No, _you_ should sleep," I retorted, shaking my head. "I'm sure you've been up all night with her for a while now. Go."

He hesitated for a moment, then smiled gently. "Alright, if you say so. Good night."

"G'nite."

I stayed up most of the night, drifting off here and there. I studied the cottage walls, bare and pale, my mother's face, which seemed far more tired and lined than I remembered. It was alarming to think it had been over 6 months since I had seen my parents after years of time spent together. I hummed her lullabies that seeped into the candlelight, and stroked her hand softly. When the dawn light began to creep through the curtains, I had subsided into a daze, held upright only by the stiffness of my muscles.

I heard the door open. It was Mori. "Good morning," he rumbled softly. He was holding a tray with water and some bread and fruit.

"Morning," I replied, struck by an enormous yawn. "Thank you for the food."

"Mhm," he grunted. He took a stool and pulled it up beside me. "Did she sleep ok?"

"All through the night," I told him, looking at her and smiling softly. "I'm so glad I'm here. I don't know what I would do if I had to wait a minute longer."

Mori paused, staring at my mother's hand in mine. "You must be tired."

"Eh," I said, fighting another yawn. "I'll be fine."

"Your father will be here soon," said Mori, this time more forcefully. "You should go sleep."

"But…"

"At least take a nap." I met his eyes. They were firm and concerned, unyielding. Now I knew how Hunny felt when subjected to Mori's willpower. I knew I couldn't weasel my way into victory as I could with my father.

"Fine," I grumbled, gathering my bag. "Only because you'll probably carry me out of here if I disagree."

"Yeah," said Mori. He smiled gently. "You can come back later."

The hut had room for one cot, and I snuggled into it with several blankets huddled around me. Mori waited at the door until I was settled, watching intently.

"I'll tell your father you're resting," he told me, not waiting for a reply before striding away.

I was able to grin slightly, more of a grimace than a smile. Some relief was beginning to seep back into my chest, though I wouldn't be fully comforted until I knew my mother was healthy again. I thought of Mori stepping forward to my aunt, offering his help, helping me in the jet, sitting with me by my mother. Besides my father, I couldn't think of anyone better to be here than Mori. I vowed that I would find some way to thank him.

But of course, after I slept. The sooner I slept, the sooner I could go back to my mother.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The next few days continued in the same routine. I would sleep until the afternoon, and then quickly return to my mother's side for the evening and night. Mori or my father brought me meals, my father sitting in with my mother in the morning and leaving to sleep late in the evening. As a result, Mori and I never slept at the same time, and my interaction with him was limited besides the deliverance of those meals.

During those afternoon hours I was at liberty to chat with my father about all that had taken place since I had transferred to Japan (save, of course, some of the more embarrassing host club antics) and as always, my father listened avidly, often interrupting to inquire into minor details or to ask me to "paint the scene," as he always put it. He saw everything with that photographer's eye—an eye of position and contrast and light—and it was thanks to him that I was deliberate in my observation of details. I knew I had told a story to his justice when he asked for almost no further description or elaboration. To others our conversations often sounded tedious, but my mother put up with us with the good-natured patience and jokes that could only be hoped for by a photographer's wife.

During these discussions, Mori never stayed for long, perhaps because he felt it was some sort of imposition. Most of the time I was too engrossed to remember to ask, and the next thing I knew, he'd be gone. My father told me he had taken to running during the night and helping the villagers during the day with various tasks, from hauling firewood to running errands. I could picture it perfectly, and I told my father this, speaking of Mori's helpfulness and quiet good nature.

"You don't have to tell me," my father said smugly. "I was out taking shots of him and the villagers yesterday. It was quite a sight, such a tall young fellow hauling wool for the little old ladies of the spinning hut. He towers over everyone. I had to take a few steps back for each frame to even fit him in!"

I rolled my eyes. "_Dad. _You can't just keep taking pictures of every friend I make. I'm not a modeling agent, ok?"

"You may not be a modeling agent, but—"

"-Every human being is a model. I know, I know," I grumbled, finishing his favorite excuse.

"You ought to pay that boy more attention," my mother admonished me one evening after my father had gone to bed. "He _is,_ after all, the reason you're here."

"Well, I want to be here with you…"I started to retort, trailing off. I felt my face flushing.

"Of course. But it's unfair to barely even talk to him for the 3 days you've been here!" Her words began to slur as the sleeping meds kicked in. "Just talk to him, that's all I'm saying…"

I smiled softly as her eyes fluttered shut, and squeezed her hand. "Fine, fine," I whispered. "Only because you told me to."

The truth was that I really did want to talk to Mori. I pondered this as the moonlight settled in through the window, casting my thoughts in silver. I drifted back to our confrontation in the garden, especially on how the tone of Mori's voice had changed when he began to speak, but was interrupted by the alarm of the twins. I was dying to know if he had more to say, and I certainly missed his quiet company. But I felt that to leave my mother side was to render his importance over hers, so I made myself hold back, hoping he would understand.

Just as these thoughts settled, I heard a soft rustling outside and the faint puffs of heavy breathing. Alarmed, I placed my mother's hand gently by her side, then crept to the doorway, only peeking it open enough to peer outside. To my surprise, Mori was standing beside the door, sporting a light T shirt and sweats. It was strange to see him in anything besides formal wear or jeans, and especially in fabric that draped across his tall frame like tunics on a clothesline.

I followed his eyes, which were staring into the woods. A soft hum of bugs was rising from the undergrowth, along with occasional chirps of the nighttime wildlife. He cocked his head to the side with a soft "hmph," and stretched his arms absentmindedly, leaning against the side of the cottage.

Figuring it was ok to leave my mother for a minute or so while she slept, I slipped outside the door, making sure my footsteps were audible enough that they wouldn't take Mori by surprise.

He looked up wordlessly, perhaps not wanting to disturb my mother. Then, quietly, he asked: "Care for a walk?"

I looked back at the door nervously. "Only for a few minutes," I told him in a whisper. "I don't want to—"

My lips were stopped by the touch of his finger. Upon my astonishment he withdrew his hand quickly, momentary tenderness in his eyes fading to his blocked stoic gaze I was more used to. I felt my heart pounding and hoped the sound was covered by the wildlife symphony surrounding us, following Mori down the dirt road with cautious steps.

Once we were a decent distance away, Mori was the first to speak. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I replied simply, staring into the hills with awe. I had barely spent any time outside since arriving. "Just relieved that Mom is improving. The doctor said we should be able to leave in two day's time, that my mother should be completely fine by then. I just want to stay long enough to make sure."

I looked up at him. "I hope that's alright."

Mori nodded. "I'm also glad you're ok," he replied, softer than before.

"Why are you worrying about me?" I said, half laughing. "I'm not the one who was sick."

Mori stopped for a moment, eyes darting to the side to regard me carefully. "The pain your concern caused you…" he started, then paused. "I was worried—the pain was shared. Your health is just as important. "

I couldn't find words to respond to this, help captive by his gaze. I broke the crackling silence with continued steps, gathering courage to speak again. "I'm sorry we've barely talked. It's just, with my mom and her medication and not seeing her for months, I just feel like if I leave her—"

"You don't need to justify yourself," Mori stopped me. "I understand."

Another pause. Our steps crunched into the dust.

"You don't have to leave every time my father and I talk," I told him, finding subject changes were helping to suppress my nerves. "You're more than welcome to stay, or join in."

Mori looked down, his face almost becoming black in the shadow of the moon. He didn't reply.

I studied his expression for a moment, then my eyes widened. "Mori-senpai. You _can't_ still be punishing yourself for what Kyoya did. It was a misunderstanding."

He was silent for a moment, then rumbled, "We're not in Japan, Ivy. You can call me Takashi."

_So he does still feel guilty,_ I thought with alarm.

"Mo—Takashi," I corrected, fighting my astonishment. "_You_ have more of a right to talk to me than anyone. You don't have to keep yourself from me anymore." I felt tears of gratitude welling up and my hands trembled. "There's a good chance you saved my mother's life."

Mori looked down at my hands, and seemed to reach for a moment, but stopped, his palm flopping against his side like a cut puppet string.

"Consider any debt you feel repaid," I continued, much softer. I stopped walking to stare off the edge of a bluff, down into the wilderness which was sparkling with lightning bugs. "What you did for me….it by far offsets anything else." I looked up at him, heart pounding even harder. "_I'm _indebted to you, for goodness sake."

Mori came to a stop beside me, looking out into the woods and then back at me. Still he didn't speak, his expression poorly concealing some sort of inward battle. I sighed. Clearly my words were only slowly easing whatever turmoil he must have been feeling.

Then, like a spark of natural light in the woods, I remembered something so simple, a thought archived in my mind from months ago.

_Maybe for him, silence isn't the lack of conversation. Silence _is _the conversation._

My whole body hummed with both terror and understanding. _There _is _something more effective than words._

I touched Mori's shoulder with a shaking hand, then gripped his sleeve harder to prevent my fingers from trembling. His eyes filled with surprise as he wordlessly turned to face me, staring down at me like the moon had fallen to the earth. I touched his other arm more gently, hoping to ease his shock, but only found my heart pounding harder.

Before I could stop myself or panic any further, I raised myself onto my tiptoes with all my might, using my grip on his arms to steady myself.

And gently, breathlessly, I kissed him on the cheek, brushing past his lips with the unsteadiness of my nerves, feeling his intake of astonishment like a warm breeze by my neck.

Using every muscle in my body to keep myself from falling over, I lowered back down off my toes, blushing harder than I had ever thought imaginable.

I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes for more than a second. They were wide and filled with wonder and something else I couldn't identify, something I had never seen in pictures or read about in books.

"Th-thank you, Takashi" I whispered, scarcely above a whisper.

Kicking my muscles into flight response, I ran back into the village as quick as my feet could carry me. I only turned back once to see Mori frozen in place, dumbfounded, and panic seized me at the feelings churning in my chest.

This was no longer about debts and debtors. This was ceasing to be about gratitude. This was something more.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

I rushed into the cabin, afraid to look back again. Grabbing my mother's hand as gently as my nerves would allow, I tried to calm my breathing, staring into the wall with a sort of meditative determination in hopes that my panic would go away. But images and thoughts projected onto the blank wall like a movie, and I blinked desperately, willing away the look on his face, his finger on my lips, my kiss on his cheek.

_How could this end well?_

"Honey…honey. You're crushing my hand."

I jumped. My mom was blinking wearily, and she chuckled as I released the death grip I realized I had formed on her gentle fingers.

"Oh. Sorry," I said, hastily adjusting her covers.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Don't try to sit up," I urged her. "It's the middle of the night. Go back to sleep."

"Come on now, tell me what's wrong." Still drowsy, she resigned to resting back on her pillow, eyes fluttering.

I figured she wouldn't remember whatever I said by the morning, anyway. "Mom…I think I messed things up. I kissed a boy."

"A boy. That's nice, dear," she mumbled. "Just a random boy?"

"Well, no. I kissed Mori." The words echoed in the room for a moment. "On the cheek, though," I added hastily. "On the cheek."

"Your innocence is preserved," my mother yawned. "Proud…of you…"

She was practically asleep now. But I continued. "Mori doesn't get close to people," I told her. "He's quiet and kind and nice to be around. And he gave me his rose. But…Haruhi told me so. He's pushed away every girl…"

"Has he pushed you away yet?"

I blinked. I turned to see my father in the doorway. "Dad?"

He grinned. "Well? Has he?"

"Well…" I scanned my thoughts desperately. "Not exactly. But now…"

My father sat down beside me, still smiling. "You think too much, kiddo. You look exhausted."

"I'm fine," I grumbled.

"Sleep solves everything," he told me. "My best shots always come after a good night's sleep."

"I always stay with Mom until morning," I told him stubbornly.

"You obviously need to clear your head. Go sleep. Besides, you leave in day or so," he told me. "You've got to get back on a normal sleep schedule."

"But—"

"Ivy. Bed. Now."

"Fine," I sighed, getting up.

"…Besides, it'll make it easier for me to beat up that boy if you're asleep."

I turned around, eyes wide. "Dad…"

"Kidding, kidding! My goodness. I'm a photographer. Do I look like I could beat up a Titan like him? Good night."

"Night."

As I approached our little hut, I became terrified that Mori might be inside sleeping. I cracked the door open cautiously, but found it unoccupied, the sheets left in a mess from Mori's recent nap. As I crept in underneath the covers I breathed in the faint whiff of his smell on the pillow, like cedar and pine.

The persistence of this scent made keeping thoughts of him away quite impossible. I wondered if he'd even go near me after going so far as to kiss him. The risk was too high. And especially when we got back to Japan…

I could hear the host club voices in the silence of the night.

_This is a big deal, America._

_He doesn't get close to people…_

_But he seems to like you, right? And you like him, too?_

And then his voice.

_I was worried—the pain was shared._

_I couldn't allow myself the…satisfaction of being around you._

_We're not in Japan, Ivy. You can call me Takashi._

I sighed, pulling the covers around me like a cocoon. If our friendship wasn't over, it was at least changed for good. I had only meant to thank him for all he had done, but I knew I had held on a moment too long, spoken a bit too soft…there was no way he couldn't think it was more. And for it to be more…it couldn't happen. Not with his loyalty to Mitsukuni, with the close eye of Kyoya…there was no way.

_It was just on the cheek. Calm down. Just act normally._

_But the way he looked at me afterwards…How can I ignore that?_

I tried to feel determined. I couldn't let this affect me. No matter how I felt…it was my fault now, if everything went wrong. I could hear my father: _you're thinking too much_. I fought back tears.

_This is silly. You should be happy. Mom is ok, and that's all the matters._

I heard the soft brushing of the door against the floor and snapped my eyes shut, hoping the tear or two that fell would clear the side of my face in time to not be visible. I tried to appear to be sleeping peacefully, but I could feel my body shaking with the effort of not letting out a sob.

_I'm not like Mori. I'm transparent. I'm an open book. He can see right through me. _

I heard footsteps nearing my bed. I tensed. Usually Mori just left if he walked in on me falling asleep…Still, I squeezed my eyes shut, as if to will him away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. My eyes shot open. Mori was leaning over me, face filled with concern and a sort of tenderness, rather than the alarm that had painted his face earlier. The expression was so unlike anything I had seen before, almost like a different person—I was frozen in place.

He tilted his head to the side, his hand going from my shoulder to my cheek, brushing against the tracks my tears had left on my chin.

"Please don't cry," he said softly.

He kissed me, gently, barely brushing his lips against mine. My eyes widened, then upon the softness of his touch, they fluttered closed, amazed at the sensation. I gently leaned forward, heart racing, grabbing his arm to support myself, lips pressing into his. His hand wrapped around my waist for a moment, other hand entangling in mine. I collapsed into his towering frame, trembling.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. It could have been an hour or a half a second, and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

And then his face was two inches from mine, his onyx black eyes staring into mine and reading them carefully. And then he wasn't at my side, but was at the door, still staring at me with a sort of wonder.

"You're really something," he said softly.

And then he was gone.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

I didn't sleep very much that night, save drifting off once or twice. Big surprise there. My heart was pounding in my ears so loud that slumber was almost unfathomable, and the chatter of wildlife in the hills was replaced by the early morning carts as the sun finally began to rise.

I emerged from the hut in a strange combination of bleary-eyed fatigue and giddiness, eyes darting side to side as if a certain tall dark-haired boy could emerge any second and accost me. My mother was standing right outside the door, to my great surprise.

"M'mom!" I stuttered. "You're…you're out of bed?"

"Woke up feeling fit as a fiddle," my mother chirped, grinning. "Looks like my recovery was speedy."

My father appeared from around the corner. "Since all of that seems to be falling in place, the jet should be arriving this evening to take you both home!"

"Tonight?" I looked at the two of them incredulously. "But…you already called for it?"

"Well, yes. In the light of your mother's improvement…"

"You couldn't afford one more evening?" I said, rather dejectedly. "I mean, I'll be going back for months…"

My mother's smile softened. "Hun, you've missed enough school as it is."

I said nothing.

My father rubbed his hands together. "Ivy. Come with me. Your mother has some things to take care of."

I followed him reluctantly, realizing I hadn't visited my parent's hut since the night we arrived. When I entered, I couldn't help but gasp.

"Dad…" I said softly, staring at the walls in wonder. They were covered from floor to ceiling in pictures tacked on strings. I started my journey around the room, peering closely at each shot and appraising it carefully, then stepping back for a different view as my father had instructed me when I was little.

Each shot was so trademark in his style, from the expressive candids the the moving portraits of the people of the village. As I veered my way around, I marveled at children playing in the street with the sunlight peeking through their fingers, old maids at the washboards on a dusty afternoon, and little families gathered in their homes for ordinary dinners. After spending most of my time inside, it was lovely to actually see the village life in action, especially in my father's eye.

"Dad…" I started again. "These are amazing."

"Oh, please. Wait until you see the next roll. Should be shipping back in a week or so."

"They're just as beautiful as the roll you sent me for Christmas," I told him. "If not more."

My eyes widened when I came upon a certain row. It was completely composed of shots of Mori and the villagers. I couldn't help but let a grin spread from ear to ear. He towered over the old women just as my father had said, hauling washboards and pushing carts and tugging giant baskets of wool across the streets for the spinners, all with the same expression of composed good will. I lingered fondly on a certain set of prints, in which Mori crouched beside a little girl and handed her various flowers as the shots continued.

"Fascinating young man," my father said guardedly, breaking my trance as he appeared over my shoulder.. "He's been a sort of…silent spectacle for the village. Didn't have much trouble with the language barrier. Mostly because the boy doesn't say more than a word a day."

He leaned down, peering at the photos with a grin. "Some people just get it, like him and I. The language isn't really a barrier if you don't worry about the words."

"I…I can imagine," I said softly, almost a chuckle.

"When I took over for you last night, your mother mumbled something…ah, interesting."

My stomach dropped. "Oh god. What did she say?"

"Something…uh. Involving…."

I rolled my eyes. "Dad."

"Sorry! Sorry. Well, she said you kissed someone-"

"Oh lord."

"-And since you've maybe left that infirmary a total of 10 times, I can most likely guess who that is—"

"Dad."

"Don't Dad me. Now, you know what your mother and I told you. I understand finding someone you, well, like, can be a bit stressful when you're moving from place to place…" He trailed off.

"But…it's…Mori doesn't—"

"This doesn't entirely relate to Mori, dear. Your mother and I have been talking, and…perhaps you should finish high school at Ouran. For sure. Would you be happy with that?"

I turned. "You mean…and not go traveling with you? For 2 whole years? Dad."

"Well…yes. Save the summers. But this little, aha, Mori thing. It just made us think that maybe a more permanent group of friends would be good for you. Host club included."

I wasn't sure what to say, for once.

My father smiled, a hand on my shoulder. "Just something to consider. But we'll worry about that another time." He squeezed my shoulder and his grin widened. "Besides. I know people and that boy is a gem."

"Dad…"

He leaned in, and with a playful, teasing whisper, said, "Generally, the best way to seal the deal is to keep talking to said special person. Especially in person."

I rolled my eyes, strolling out of the hut and not looking back, poorly concealing a grin and a giggle.

I ran into "said special person" in the middle of the street. "Mori-sen—I mean, Takashi!" I gasped. My heart began to race.

Mori looked equally terrified, but attempted a smile. On his somewhat fearful countenance in appeared more like a grimace. "Ivy," he said softly.

"Uh, good morning!" I said, probably much too loud. "I heard we're leaving tonight—" I stopped abruptly as the couple of prints I had grabbed from the hut spilled on the street in my fumbling hands.

I blushed profusely. Among the others were a couple of Mori himself, including him with the girl and the flower.

"Ivy," Mori said again, the smile becoming more natural in amusement. He leaned over and handed a photo or two to me as I scrambled to recover them from the dust.

"Th-thank you," I stuttered, clutching them to my chest in embarrassment. "I was just—my father gave me a few of his—"

I heard a dark chuckle. Mori took my hand and pulled me up from the dirt.

"You've said my name twice now," I sputtered awkwardly.

He squeezed my hand gently. Now with an unabashed, unrestrained grin, he murmured a third time: "Ivy."

I smiled, blinded by cheer and the early morning sunlight. "Is this some sort of curse? Saying my name three times."

Another soft chuckle. "Care for a walk?"

We strolled along, my hand still in his. A few steps in, his long, long fingers re-arranged and interlaced with mine, and I felt a shiver go up my spine.

We stopped on a bluff just outside the village heights.

I blinked. "This looks strangely familiar," I told him, then remembered this was the place from the night before where we had stared out into the hills.

And now the words began to come back to me, in their full composure and arrangement. Mori's hand in mine felt like a stabilizer, something that kept the consonants from slipping.

"I think I'm ready to go home," I said, with a little smile.

"Home?" said Mori.

"Huh." I paused for a moment. "That used to mean America. I think it means something different now."

"Oh?"

"My parents want me to stay in Japan. At least for high school. With the twins, and of course the guest house, and the symphony and of course the rest of the host club, Tamaki-san and Kyoya-san and Hunny-senpai and—" I stopped. "Sorry. I'm rambling."

"Don't apologize," said Mori. His eyes traveled to the hills. "I don't mind."

I cocked my head to the side. "I think everyone assumes that people like you…I mean, people that don't say much…that they don't want to listen very much either. Words in general are a burden."

"Hm," said Mori, then with a soft laugh: "That's an interesting thought."

"Howso?"

"It's not so black and white," Mori said carefully, turning towards me. "You know how to say what words can't. Yet…I could listen to you for hours."

For a moment, I was speechless. Then, very softly: "…Really?"

"Mhm," said Mori. "But you don't always have to talk."

He leaned over and kissed me, very softly, releasing my lips with a smile. "But I think you know that," he whispered, squeezing my hand again. "Ivy."

"That's four times," I teased him. I stood up on my tiptoes, pulse quickening, and returned the kiss, withdrawing much quicker and with a tiny giggle. "Takashi."


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

[EPILOGUE]

The plane arrived. I kissed and hugged my parents goodbye and thanked the village doctor and everyone who had helped us on our stay. An entire pack of children tackled Mori and it took several moments to detach them all.

The next thing I knew, we were in the air. Instead of sleeping, I found my mouth burning with words. I sat crosslegged on the little airplane-couch next to Mori, telling him more about my travels and everything he had missed while he had left for me to catch up with my parents. He listened with a tiny smile and little nods and comments, and after a little while wrapped an arm around me, first tentatively, then securely as I snuggled into his form.

The plane landed. As we exited the stairs and Mori helped hoist me down, I heard a pair of symmetrical cackles, a singing wail, and the sweet call of voices I hadn't heard in days. It didn't appear to me how much I missed the sound—let alone, sight—until we turned to see Kaoru, Hikaru, Tamaki, and Hunny respectively (Kyoya, to nobody's surprise, wasn't among the cacklers or wailers).

The twins stared at me—then Mori—then our entwined hands, and their faces broke into the widest, evilest grins I had ever seen grace their appearance.

"Perfect," Kaoru giggled, as they both closed in on me with said grins and open arms. "America returned home with a boy."

"But he's not Ukranian!" said Hikaru, squeezing me in a hug and forcing Mori to break from my grasp. "What a shame."

"Just some tall dark-haired goober," they both chimed. I affectionately smacked them.

As Hunny tackled Mori and Tamaki wailed some more with delight, Kyoya stood silently and simply smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Welcome," he said evenly.

That evening, I found out the remaining host club had planned something for my return—a concert featuring myself, since I had missed my individual recital date on my trip. I instantly protested, explaining to them that I hadn't played in over a week, and Tamaki ruffled my hair and told me that of course they would give me time to practice again and why would they do anything otherwise and silly girl etc. etc.

At the recital, Tamaki backed me on several pieces on piano, and all of the clients of the host club were invited. It was quite a spectacle in the same school gardens, where the lights glittered off of the wood of my bow and the keys of the piano with a merry radiance. The music was sweet and simple—just how I loved it.

After being greeted and welcomed back by the usual crowd and congratulated on my performance, I found a single blue rose sitting on a little table away from the others. Tied to it was a note written with even handwriting, with the words:

For Ivy. Come meet me.

I beamed, clutching the card in a shaking hand before taking off running in whatever chiffon dress the twins had thrown upon me at the last minute. My heels fell off, I didn't care.

I knew where to run.

The clearing with the blue fountain greeted me with soft burbling, almost silent. The chatter from the concert party dissipated. I breathed in the misty air and the hush rushed into my veins.

Mori stood before me in his black suit, black eyes sparkling.

He outstretched his hand. "Care for a walk?"

THE END

Hi everyone! It's ehnera here. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story through its growth and completion. Honestly, without you guys, I wouldn't have kept writing, and to be honest, this is one of the first stories I have actually FINISHED! Yay.

Every review is appreciated, and all the encouragement was heartwarming. I really like what I accomplished with both Mori-senpai and Ivy, and I hope you all enjoyed their story as well.

- ehnera


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